


Seeing Hope in his Eyes

by Moiloru



Series: Growing With Hope [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Dangan Ronpa: Kirigiri, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Character Study, F/M, First Crush, Gen, Hope's Peak Academy, Naegiri - Freeform, Pre-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Side Story, doubts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 42,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moiloru/pseuds/Moiloru
Summary: As Kyoko scribbled notes about her new classmates, there was one person she just couldn’t figure out. “Makoto Naegi… Just how genuine is that kind nature of yours…?” This is the prelude to the Ultimate Detective’s feelings for a certain Luckster…Side story toThe Academy of Hope.
Relationships: Asahina Aoi & Kirigiri Kyoko, Kirigiri Jin & Kirigiri Kyoko, Kirigiri Kyoko & Naegi Makoto, Kirigiri Kyoko & Samidare Yui (past), Kirigiri Kyoko & Yoshida Yuki, Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto
Series: Growing With Hope [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799014
Comments: 44
Kudos: 51





	1. Indifference

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WiiFan2009](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiiFan2009/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After doing what she had come to Hope's Peak Academy for, Kyoko Kirigiri gets the chance to compare her preliminary investigation notes about her classmates to the real deal. However, there's someone she doesn't quite know what to think of...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! As promised, now that AOH is complete, some side stories before we get onto the sequel! And what better day than October 6, Kyoko Kirigiri's birthday, for the first chapter of a side story focusing on everyone's favorite Ultimate Detective?
> 
> A couple of things before we begin, however: reading this story implies that you're familiar with my mainline story, The Academy of Hope, as this first chapter will take place right after Chapter One of AOH, and will contain spoilers for the entire main story of AOH. I'll signal at the beginning of each chapter when precisely in the timeline it takes place, but you definitely won't understand a thing if you haven't read AOH. In terms of length, this story will be ten chapters long, and each chapter should be around 2500 to 3500 words long - considerably shorter than my AOH chapters, haha.
> 
> The last thing I wanted to mention before the end of these author's notes was that this story is the result of WiiFan2009's ask on my Tumblr, who suggested this idea. I hope it'll be at your convenience, and thanks for the great idea!

**_Chapter One: Indifference_ **

_*sigh* I suppose it didn't take me more than one day to do what I needed to in this school… At least he now knows what I think of him and just what he means to me, that is to say, nothing._

The Ultimate Detective walked at a rapid pace in the hallway of the dormitory building, with her perfectly neutral expression on her face. She didn't have to look at the doorplates for long, though, as what would be her dorm room for her two years as a student of Hope's Peak was the first on her way.

It was her first day at the famous high school, and it had already been as eventful as she expected it to be. Not that it saddened her, though.

 _Hmph, what a shame… a grown man, crying like a baby… He didn't think of *my* tears when he abandoned me, so I won't pity him now._ She thought, as she took out her keys and unlocked the room, which was rather classic - and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. _How did this man even qualify to become the Headmaster of such a famous school, I wonder…?_

Filing away the thought for later, Kyoko stepped inside. She immediately noticed her suitcases waiting for her. But her interest was caught by something else. A piece of paper rested on the desk, as well as an electronic device. She liked the presence of a desk in her room, and while she knew it wouldn't be neither as comfy nor as practical as her desk back in the Kirigiri household was, it would need to do.

 _What is this little piece of paper?_ The lavender-haired girl wondered with curiosity as she approached the desk, before taking the note, unfolding it, and beginning to read it.

" _To Kyoko,_

_I know it has been a long time since we last saw each other, and you probably feel a lot of resentment towards me, and you are probably right to do so. However, I hope you'll be willing to forgive my years of absence, and I'm looking forward to seeing how well the Ultimate Detective does in this institution._

_I wish you a happy and fructuous year at Hope's Peak Academy._

_\- Your father, Jin Kirigiri."_

Kyoko let out an unamused 'hmph' before curling up the note in a small ball and throwing it into the trash bin under the desk.

 _What a hypocrite. At least I didn't give him a chance to get his hopes up. To say that such a disgrace of a man and of a father holds the name Kirigiri…_ She sighed a sigh of distaste directed at her father. _How shameful._

She turned her attention to the little device and recognized it as the so-called 'e-handbook' the students were supposed to carry with them at all times, as it would offer them a map of the school, a texting app, and a detailed schedule of their upcoming classes. Not that she planned on attending classes, anyway, especially since they didn't seem to be more than bonding exercises.

 _I suppose I should still hold onto this; in case I need a map of campus._ Kyoko decided. _The fact that classes are optional is a chance for me, though. Grandfather's teachings should be enough for me to have the general knowledge asked out of a graduate, and since I'll have lots of work to do, spending time with my classmates is at the absolute bottom of my priority list._

She took her smallest suitcase and rolled it to her desk, before sitting down on the surprisingly comfortable chair and opening it. She pulled out a plain blue folder and a pen, turned her e-handbook on, and after a few seconds of checking out how it worked, found a list of her classmates.

 _Myself included, Class 78th of Hope's Peak Academy is composed of sixteen students scouted by the school for their talent: the so-called Ultimates. Our respective talent is supposed to lead the world towards greater heights and give people a hope to believe in._ She told herself, sliding up and down the list and reminding herself of her classmates' faces.

The Welcoming Ceremony had been a chance for her to get her first look at her future classmates, especially those who came to introduce themselves to her - while others visibly didn't deem it necessary. Not that she could blame them: she wouldn't have gone and introduced herself to anyone on her own, either.

 _Though this speaks volumes about their characters…_ Kyoko realized, before taking out her notes in her folder regarding her class. _But as long as they don't get in the way of my work, there is no reason to show any hostility towards them, I suppose._

"Alright, let's review this…" Kyoko said to herself out loud as she produced a list of names and information from her folder.

" _Sayaka Maizono: Ultimate Pop Sensation; Japan's most famous pop idol; became successful through threats and intimidation of her competitors; detailed report."_

" _Mukuro Ikusaba: Ultimate Soldier; formerly a part of the mercenary group 'Fenrir' who has never lost in battle, nor sustained a single scar; tortured enemies on the battlefield; sister to Junko Enoshima; attention potentially required around her; report to complete."_

" _Leon Kuwata: Ultimate Baseball Star; future of Japanese baseball with the greatest potential of the 21st century; accused by some girls of 'taking womanizing too far on occasion'; detailed report."_

" _Chihiro Fujisaki: Ultimate Programmer; creates artificial intelligence to help society, though not much is known about her; no secrets found; report to complete."_

" _Mondo Owada: Ultimate Biker Gang Leader; leader of Japan's first biker gang; involved in gang wars and suspicious deaths of opposing gang members; detailed report."_

" _Kiyotaka Ishimaru: Ultimate Moral Compass; former morals committee member at Kaiseidan High School; grandson to disgraced Prime Minister Toranosuke Ishimaru, accused of corruption; detailed report."_

" _Hifumi Yamada: Ultimate Fanfic Creator; known for his work in the fanfiction field; accused to have sold mature stories featuring anime character 'Princess Piggles' to young children for money; detailed report."_

" _Celestia Ludenberg: Ultimate Gambler; undefeated gambler in all of Japan; ruined her opponents in illegal gambling games, and played against criminal organizations repeatedly; detailed report; false name?"_

" _Sakura Ogami: Ultimate Martial Artist; allegedly one of the strongest human beings on Earth, heir to her family's dojo; no secrets found; report to complete."_

" _Junko Enoshima: Ultimate Fashionista; known for making the magazine covers and being an international model; had sexual relations with higher-ups in the fashion field; sister to Mukuro Ikusaba; report to complete."_

" _Yasuhiro Hagakure: Ultimate Clairvoyant; a thief who tries to sell his 'fortunes' to people; gives his 'predictions' at extreme prices; not worthy of interest."_

" _Toko Fukawa: Ultimate Writing Prodigy; famous novelist specialized in tragic romance; not much is known about her, though she appears to have a masochist behavior and a lack of self-confidence; partially detailed report."_

" _Aoi Asahina: Ultimate Swimming Pro; a world-class athlete who broke many records in the swimming world, Olympic cadet; no secrets found; report to complete."_

" _Byakuya Togami: Ultimate Affluent Progeny; heir to the Togami family, which controls the world from the shadows; plotted against the other heirs to his family name to be the last one remaining; most likely not a threat due to an overinflated ego; report to complete."_

" _Makoto Naegi: Ultimate Lucky Student; a seemingly normal boy who enrolled Hope's Peak Academy through a lottery; doesn't have a talent; no secrets found; report to complete URGENTLY."_

 _Well, that matches with what I've seen so far…_ The detective told herself, as she finished reading the info she had gathered on every one of her classmates, without too much trouble. _Although I am quite curious as to this Makoto Naegi fellow… He seemed harmless, in both his physical aptness and his behavior around me, but having this many unknown factors about him makes any deduction premature…_

She circled the boy's name in red and put an exclamation mark next to his description, still deep in thought.

_Still, his intentions seemed genuine when he came to introduce himself to me, and he most likely didn't mean any harm when he asked about my relation to the Headmaster, though I can't be entirely sure of that quite yet. One thing that is for sure, however, is that he is completely charmed by Sayaka's deceiving smile, a sign of potential blind naiveté and openness._

Kyoko recalled seeing the boy in question introduce himself to the others with the pop sensation, and she couldn't shake off the feeling he was being maybe not used, but most definitely fooled. That tended to make the Ultimate Detective think he was too open for his own good, though she preferred not to make hasty conclusions, as she had only given him about a minute of her time, and further investigation would be needed.

 _Could he possibly be more than just a guy with luck who'll spend his time quietly here and graduate? I have this feeling his normalcy amongst this group makes him unique in a way, as ridiculous as the thought might be._ The lavender-haired girl couldn't make neither heads nor tails of the brown-haired boy's presence at the school. _To be chosen as the one to enroll this school through a lottery with thousands of students applying is no small feat… Luck isn't a talent to speak of, but I've read about the Ultimate Lucky Student among our upperclassmen, whose luckiness apparently outmatches anything that's ever been seen…_

Kyoko actually smiled as she realized she wouldn't be wasting her time doing nothing at Hope's Peak, as there were plenty of mysteries for her to solve. The school itself interested her much, as she _knew_ it had to be holding many secrets, and her classmates did too.

She looked at her hands and thought, _We all have secrets, whether we want it or not. But some are better at hiding them than others, and Makoto Naegi could potentially be one of them, as well as those for whom I haven't found anything._

*driiiiiiiiiiiing* *driiiiiiiiiiiing* *driiiiiiiiiiiing* *driiiiiiiiiiiing*

"Hm?" the girl's phone rang, and as she took it out, she realized it was basically her only contact calling her. She took the call quickly. "Hello, Grandfather."

" _Good morning, Kyoko."_ Fuhito Kirigiri greeted back on the other end of the line. _"I trust the Welcoming Ceremony went well?"_

"Yes, it did, Grandfather." Kyoko replied calmly before adding, "Some of my classmates came to introduce themselves to me, though I had to leave before I could talk to everyone."

" _I see. Have you gone to see the Headmaster yet?"_ the retired detective asked, and his granddaughter could almost see the expectant look on his face through the screen.

"That was the first thing I did after leaving the Welcoming Ceremony. I told him I wanted to cut all ties with him, and that it was my reason for coming to this school. I also met Koichi Kizakura again, the Talent Scout for Hope's Peak Academy, and still a close friend to the Headmaster." she explained, emotionlessly narrating her visit to her father's office. "Neither of them seemed to take the news well, but that is none of my concern. I will limit my visit to the Headmaster to the bare minimum, which will likely only be for my investigations."

" _Good; you did the right thing, Kyoko. This man is an insult to the Kirigiri line of detectives, and you should limit your interactions with him."_ Fuhito insisted. _"And I doubt he will be of any use during your investigations of Hope's Peak Academy, either."_

"That remains to be seen." the Ultimate Detective said, and while she agreed with her grandfather, she wished he wasn't always so obsessed with the fact that she needed to cut ties with her father. She knew what she had to do, and she definitely had not done it for her grandfather's sake. "Is there anything else you needed to ask of me, Grandfather? My time is quite precious as I need to settle down, and I have much work to do afterward."

" _Yes, yes, I will not be wasting your time, although there is something else I need to talk to you about."_ the old man said, and Kyoko already knew where this was headed. _"Did you get a chance to learn more about your classmates, after your preliminary investigations?"_

 _You need to learn how to be less obvious with the questions you ask, Grandfather… You're getting rusty as a detective._ She sighed before replying, "I did. I am currently in the process of comparing the information I had gathered to the first experience I had with them to make a list of who could potentially be a threat. Right now, however, I couldn't glean much information I did not already have, apart from complementary information regarding a couple of my classmates."

" _I am glad to hear that. I ask you to remain cautious, however. You know what happened the last time you got close to someone, don't you, Kyoko?"_ he asked, rather assertively.

"Yes, I do, Grandfather." _Yui…_ Flashbacks ran through Kyoko's mind, but she made them go away quickly. "I will ensure absolute neutrality while I investigate here, exactly as you taught me. Still, apart from maybe a couple of them, I doubt any of my classmates could be threats to me or to my work." _With the possible exceptions being that of the Ultimate Soldier, Mukuro Ikusaba, or Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student…_

" _Well, regardless of whether they seem dangerous or not, remain on your guards at all times. The pursuit of the truth can be costly for those who are inadequately prepared."_

"I will make sure to judge everyone's strengths and weaknesses, Grandfather, you don't need to worry about me." the Ultimate Detective assured him, as she honestly wanted to get him off her back. He was telling her things he had taught to her at a really young age, and there wasn't a single principle of the Kirigiri creed she was unaware of. "I was chosen as the Ultimate Detective, and I believe my level of preparation for any potential danger I might encounter in this school will ensure my safety. Is there once again something else you needed to tell me, or might I go back to my work?"

She hoped she'd be able to put an end to this call if she insisted enough, as she didn't want to run late on her schedule, especially not on the first day. She would have cases to work on soon, both inside and outside of Hope's Peak, and getting off to a slow start was not an option for her.

" _No, I do not have anything else to ask you as of now. You are free to spend the weekend on the campus of the school if you feel the need to work some more. With that being said, goodbye, Kyoko."_ Fuhito simply said as a goodbye to his granddaughter.

"Yes, goodbye, Grandfather. I will see you soon." the faintest trace of a smile appeared on her lips as she took the phone and hung up, before sighing and placing it back inside her pocket. "Well, that looked like a total waste of time… Nothing I didn't know already… Grandfather's mind is in the right place, and I wouldn't be who I am today without him, but he needs to realize I can understand things without being told ten times…"

She stretched her arms and stood up and came to the realization that she needed to settle down properly quickly and to unpack her suitcases before she could actually get onto her work.

 _I'll try to adapt to this new environment while getting to learn more about this school and my classmates._ She thought to herself as she absent-mindedly began to take out her clothes and other personal effects. A good detective needed an organized living room, and she would make sure her dorm room was as clean as her study was back at home. _The best idea… might be to get a social student to set up a daily routine for the class…_

With a course of action now in mind, Kyoko smiled, realizing that she'd be killing two birds with one stone, if not even more.

_Yes, breakfasts should be a pretty good way to fill in the blanks regarding those Ultimates…_

And thus, Kyoko Kirigiri's eventful two years at the Academy of Hope began, though the initial signs she showed were those of indifference, and it would take a tremendous effort to change her mind.

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this first chapter, though I am entirely aware that contrary to Kyoko's first day at Hope's Peak, it wasn't that eventful. My aim for this first chapter was to set the stage for the story and to shed some light on details the main story didn't go over - such as some other of the class' secrets. The next chapters (especially after Chapter Two) will be more eventful. Please leave a comment, as it helps me a lot, and I'll make sure to reply as quickly as I can! Until next time, have a great day, everyone! ^^


	2. Interrogations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Class 78th's first class of the year, Kyoko goes back to her room and gets to think about her classmates some more, particularly about a special student among their group...

**_Chapter Two: Interrogations_ **

The Ultimate Lucky Student and the Ultimate Pop Sensation walked together to the cafeteria after Class 78th's first class of the year together, both with a smile on their face. Meanwhile, Kyoko marched back to her room, opting to skip lunch for today. She could definitely spend the day without eating a meal, and there was something she urgently wanted to do. Therefore, she wouldn't be seen at the cafeteria today. She'd be there the next day for breakfast - but that would most likely be it, once again.

_At least I didn't waste my time this morning._ The Ultimate Detective thought smilingly, as she went down a floor and passed by a couple of her upperclassmen. _Our teacher is a much more intelligent woman than she lets on, and she seems to know how to keep order during her classes while not being too strict._

She giggled to herself.

_Not that I could find stricter than Grandfather, anyway._

The walk back to her room was quiet, and apart from some Reserve Course students who eyed her with either great admiration or great resentment, there wasn't much to be seen.

_I have this nagging feeling that I am not going to like the fixated looks on me for long…_ The girl sighed and noticed the fashionista in her class was - contrary to her - craving for their attention. Leaving Junko's antics aside, she pushed open the door to the dormitories, before stepping inside and being immediately called out by one of her classmates.

"Oh, Kyoko, hello again!" said Aoi Asahina, the Ultimate Swimming Pro. "Are you skipping lunch?"

"Hi." Kyoko greeted back shortly and stoically, preferring to keep it short. "Yes, I am. If I may ask, what are you doing back here so early, Aoi? Excuse me if I am mistaken, but considering your athletic feats, I thought you weren't the type to skip a meal."

_And perhaps you're in healthy shape, I have a feeling you wouldn't miss a meal…_

"Haha, no, I just had to come back here quickly to grab something from my room!" the swimmer explained, a bit embarrassed that her gluttonous nature had been so quickly figured out. "You see, Junko and I are organizing a video game party this afternoon, and I needed to grab some donuts. Oh, by the way! Do you wanna come, Kyoko? We'd love another participant!"

_A video game party, seriously? Do I look the type to be playing video games in my free time?_ She kept that to herself, but she definitely wondered. Instead, she politely declined. "Apologies, Aoi, but I have much to do already. The offer is appreciated, however."

This wasn't a complete lie, as much as it wasn't entirely the truth. The detective _had_ much to do, but it wasn't even her main reason for declining. No, she simply didn't see why she would need to take part in any social events yet, apart perhaps to glean some information about her classmates.

_But today's class already offered me more than I could have asked for…_

"Aww, that sucks… I'm sorry you already have work, Kyoko!" the brown-haired girl said, visibly feeling sorry for her classmate. "Well, another time perhaps?" the detective nodded at that.

The Ultimate Swimming Pro began to leave, which Kyoko took as her cue to get going to her room. However, before she could take out her keys, her name was called out again.

"Oh yeah, Kyoko!" turning around, she saw the athlete facing her again. "You can call me Hina, by the way! That's the nickname all my friends use, so feel free to call me that, okay?"

_Except we aren't friends…_ "Very well, Hina." Kyoko replied nonetheless, before opening her door and slipping inside her room. _You certainly are quite the character, Aoi Asahina…_

* * *

"I doubt I've ever seen someone as arrogant as Byakuya Togami before…" Kyoko mused out loud, as she scribbled some notes about the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. "Intelligent, that's for sure… but his lack of care for what others think and say will cost him."

The Ultimate Detective knew exactly how emotions were to be handled. Fuhito had always insisted that she get a good read on everyone she interacted with by paying close attention to what they said, what they did and their general behavior. It had always worked for her, and she didn't plan on changing her methods anytime soon.

"Then there's Sayaka Maizono… She accepted the idea of class breakfasts easily enough and didn't seem to catch onto the fact that I couldn't care less about eating with my classmates…" the lavender-haired girl thought as she turned the page and wrote some notes about the pop idol. "I have this feeling that she's particularly deceitful, but that might be an early assumption on my part… I'll still keep a close eye on her though, especially considering her secret."

The way Sayaka acted and interacted with people reminded the detective of tactics used by criminals to be appreciated by people when they wanted to deceive them. She found the method rather detestable, but couldn't do anything against it as long as the Ultimate Pop Sensation had not tricked anyone into doing her bidding. Still, there was a chance she was acting genuinely, and Kyoko didn't want to accuse her of anything yet. Or at least, accuse her of anything she wasn't absolutely sure of.

_In particular, her interactions with Makoto Naegi interest me…_ She turned her organizer to a blank page and wrote the Ultimate Lucky Student's name in capital letters at the top. He was the only one Kyoko didn't have any preliminary info on, a fact that disturbed her, though she was beginning to realize she wouldn't have to worry too much about the boy. _Though we can never be too sure, I guess._

She had based her investigations into the Ultimates on Internet searches, for starters. Then, she had checked the documents at her disposal thanks to her authority as a detective. But of course, a random high-school boy without talent was unlikely to either have a Wikipedia page or a police record.

"At least this means he never committed any offense, which can't be said for everyone." Kyoko reminded herself as she thought of the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader. "And he doesn't look the type to commit a crime. Though I can't say if it's because his morals would prevent him, or because he physically couldn't…"

And thus, she wrote: _"Physically weak, though probably rarely in need of force."_

She wasn't inventing anything, and even if it was harsh, she didn't feel bad for stating the truth. Still, she knew that while the boy wouldn't be able to assault anyone without ending up in a coma, he probably wasn't the type to assault people anyway, if the kind nature he was showing was any indication.

"Makoto Naegi… Just how genuine is that kind nature of yours…?" she muttered, thinking back to every one of the lucky student's words. _You certainly liked the idea of having breakfast as a class, and I doubt it's for the same reasons I suggested we hold them…_

A small smile tugged her lips as she remembered the boy's excitement, which she found almost comical. The more she interacted with him, the more she was convinced of something: Makoto Naegi wouldn't be annoying her, nor would he be disturbing her in her work.

And thus, she wrote: _"Until proven otherwise, kind person with a genuine liking for social interaction with his friends."_

"I suppose that's a good trait to have…" she sighed and regretted this wasn't something she could say about herself at all. "But the search of the truth asks me to keep the interactions that could sway me in one direction or the other minimal." _Though I suppose that if I need to go to class, I'd prefer happy-go-lucky classmates like Makoto than arrogant ones like Togami…_

After writing such a good trait about the brown-haired boy, the Kirigiri detective searched for a flaw that would define him just as much. Needless to say that with as much experience as she had, it didn't take her more than three seconds to find one.

And thus, she wrote: _"Will one day end up in trouble because of his blind trust and open nature - if he hasn't already. Keep an eye on his interactions with Sayaka, and eventually warn him if the need arises."_

She underlined that part, deeming it significant. It seemed evident to her, but it apparently wasn't to the primarily concerned. And while she knew it shouldn't have mattered to her in any way… she couldn't help but feel bad for the boy.

_Being an average guy amongst all the Ultimates might be hard enough for him - especially giving his apparent lack of self-confidence, so he doesn't deserve to be deceived._ Kyoko decided and ended up highlighting another part of her notes. Namely, the 'warn him' part.

_It wouldn't be right of me to let him be tricked if I can avoid it._ Indeed, the girl's entire moral code and the principles of the Kirigiri greed were based on the search for justice. She didn't feel well knowing that - while it wasn't as bad as leaving a murderer on the run or anything of that importance - she might be setting the boy up to be deceived by someone he was visibly getting quite close to - since he had not done anything to her.

_Well, asking me about the Headmaster and I right off the bat notwithstanding._

" _I had hoped you would take the hint, but you visibly didn't. If I said that is it none of your business, would you understand better?"_ the detective had told her classmate, as he had come to introduce himself to her with a big smile on his face.

_That was cold of me… Perhaps I had to cut ties with the Headmaster for good, but that was uncalled for. Maybe I need to ensure the safety of my work, but completely shutting myself from my classmates would be a grave error on my part…_

A flashback of her childhood friend Yui Samidare quickly went through her mind and made her uncomfortable. Kyoko didn't handle well any reference to the only person she had ever called her friend, and that ever since that day. And while she had never found the strength to tell him, but she certainly would have liked if her grandfather stopped rubbing salt on the wound every time he told her about the Kirigiri creed.

_That's not an accurate comparison, anyway._ The Ultimate Detective removed her gloves and stared at her hands. _You were my first friend, Yui, and you'll also be my last._

She frowned at the sight of her charred skin and winced at the traumatic memory linked to them.

_This doesn't get any easier… *sigh* And, this is why I can't allow myself to trust blindly. Last time, it was my hands… but what could it potentially be next time if I let someone get too close to me?_

The girl preferred to let that question hanging. It wasn't even that she didn't want to answer it, but she really didn't know. She had lived through many difficult and dangerous situations throughout her long career as a detective already. Still, that didn't mean she knew what the future had in store for her.

Still, the idea that she could die on any of her cases weighed on her mind, but she did a great job of not thinking about it. Fear wasn't an option, and her past had taught her this lesson the hard way. If she feared for her life, she wouldn't be as effective on the field - and that was how potentially dramatic mistakes were made.

_But I've grown since then, and the likelihood that I make mistakes has diminished by quite a lot. And as long as I keep my guards up around everyone, at least until I can figure out who can be trusted, there is no reason to worry._ The girl thought, fiddling with her hair. _Perhaps most of them have secrets, but I haven't seen anything in my classmates that could indicate any threat to me when I eventually begin to investigate this school._

That was true. If anything, most of Kyoko's classmates were people she could pretty much ignore, and of those she kept a close eye on - the pop sensation and the soldier - only the latter could be considered dangerous. And by proxy, she also made sure to inspect Junko Enoshima, Mukuro's sister, just in case.

_Yeah, now that I think about it, it'd be better if everyone was like Makoto._ Kyoko told herself, smiling as she thought of her supposedly lucky classmate. While he didn't seem like the smartest one of the bunch, though that still remained to be seen, there was no doubt he appeared like a decent person, and someone she would interact with if needed, contrary to some others.

That realization troubled Kyoko.

_He's just a normal boy… why am I even asking myself so many questions about him? I've classified Yasuhiro as a waste of time, so why wouldn't I do the same with Makoto?_ She wondered, closing her organizer and filing it in a drawer of her desk. _His enthusiasm is intriguing, yes… but it shouldn't make me lose too much of my time… right?_

_Yes, that's right: I need to focus on the people who could potentially cause trouble, especially to me and my future investigations. I'll give some thoughts to the others if I have time._

…

…

_But still… he's most definitely an unusual character for Hope's Peak Academy… and for some reason… he's caught my interest._

And without even realizing it, she pulled the organizer out again and opened it back to the lucky student's page, before writing in big, red letters: _"Worthy of some more inspection."_

Two things made her wonder more about the boy. Firstly, he had dropped the subject of Kyoko and the Headmaster when she had asked. Secondly, he had seemed particularly eager to have breakfast with the class every morning.

_Could you be more than a simple Ultimate Lucky Student, Makoto Naegi?_

In fact, she could even say she was impressed, in a weird sort of way. She wasn't _that_ impressed, but still… enough that her detective instincts were piqued.

_You dropped the subject yesterday, and you seemed sorry that you brought up a sensitive issue… Not everyone would do that. And even this morning, when I simply asked you a question, you seemed interested in speaking to me and gave me a beaming smile I suspect is customary for you… Perhaps you're the friendly type, but I've definitely not shown any intention of becoming your friend, especially with the way I told you off yesterday during our first encounter…_

*beeeeeep* *beeeeeep*

Her e-handbook beeped, getting her attention. She took hold of the little device and got it out of sleep mode. A notification popped up, indicating she had received a message from one of her contacts.

"Let's see… I hope the Headmaster isn't trying to get through to me because he'll be losing his time," she said to herself out loud and clicked on the notification.

The message appeared, and Kyoko began to read it.

… … …

"Hm, I see… That could certainly be a good opportunity to learn some things about this place and my classmates…"

And with that, the Ultimate Detective stood up and prepared to leave her room.

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter! Next time... someone the readers of AOH are familiar with makes her first appearance in this story! Until then, please leave a comment, and I hope you have a great day!


	3. Explanations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After receiving a message from a mystery person, Kyoko finds herself confronting her ideals against a really smart interlocutor...

**_Chapter Three: Explanations_ **

The Ultimate Detective found herself in front of the door to her class' classroom and knocked.

*knock* *knock*

"Come in!" it exclaimed from inside almost immediately.

Kyoko did as she was told, and after twisting the knob and opening the door, she entered the room. At the desk sat a young woman with long brown hair and a black dress, who was checking something on her phone; Yuki Yoshida, Class 78th's homeroom teacher.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." the student greeted and respectfully bowed as she got her teacher's attention. "I received your message and came as quickly as I could."

"Oh, Kyoko! Thanks for coming on such short notice!" Yuki said with a smile before setting her phone down, standing up, and pulling a chair for Kyoko to sit on. "Come and sit!"

 _Yes, I didn't envision remaining still like this anyway…_ The lavender-haired girl deadpanned but went to sit without a word. _She asked me to come here to discuss the school… but that was rather vague…_

In fact, the detective had received a message from her class' homeroom teacher as she finished contemplating her notes about her classmates. She had been summoned to the classroom, and while it was visibly not mandatory, she preferred not to get on her teacher's wrong side - especially so early into the year.

" _To Kyoko Kirigiri,_

_I would like to discuss something with you as early into the afternoon as possible. You don't have to come if you have something scheduled (or if you don't wanna, who knows?), but I'd prefer it if you came. I would like to talk about Hope's Peak Academy with you._

_Thanks in advance,_

_\- Ms. Yuki Yoshida."_

Kyoko sat down and waited for her teacher to start the conversation. She certainly didn't have anything to ask her, so she'd wait. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait for long.

"So, you're probably wondering why I summoned you here, right?" the young woman asked, grinning at her student. "You were probably something like 'Oh, this is a rather vague message, I should go and see what Ms. Yoshida wants to tell me!', right?"

The Ultimate Detective remained absolutely stoic at the poor imitation of her voice, though she had to admit Yuki had a point.

 _I think this… was the worst imitation I've ever heard… But you did figure out what I was thinking._ Kyoko thought but still didn't say anything. She didn't laugh either.

The older of the two women sighed before hanging her head and sitting back on her chair. "Well, no luck for humor, I see… *cough* Anyway, before we begin, how much of your time can I take? I wouldn't want to waste my students' time, so tell me."

"I have finished my personal work for the day." Kyoko simply replied, keeping it brief. _And anything just to move on from that non-amusing humor of yours…_ She made sure to keep that to herself.

"Great! I take it you didn't go to the video game competition, then?" Yuki asked curiously.

 _As I thought… she was the one who organized this party Aoi- Hina talked about earlier…_ She mused but remained silent. _Probably as a way to make the class bond. I'll admit this was a smart idea._

Kyoko nodded. "No, I didn't. I was working since lunchtime when you sent me that message, ma'am," she answered without trouble. "But I have heard of it."

"Hm, I see. That's too bad." for some reason, Kyoko knew neither of them was surprised she had not gone to the competition if her teacher's flat tone was any indication. "Very well, then. Let's get to it. Kyoko…" she addressed her, getting the detective's full attention. "Are you happy to be a student at Hope's Peak Academy?"

"Hm?" _Where did this question come from?_ The Ultimate Detective wondered, a little surprised. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand the question, ma'am."

"Well, does being a student here make you happier than you were before?" Yuki reformulated, her tone interrogative. "Like, I don't know… does being here make you feel better? Special, perhaps?"

"Not at all," Kyoko replied shortly, and without any need for second thoughts. "I couldn't care less about the fame of this school. I only made sure to enroll here as the Ultimate Detective for personal reasons, nothing more. So to answer your question… no, not particularly."

"Really? Not even a little bit more?" the expectant look on Ms. Yoshida's face left Kyoko as stoic as she had been so far. "Aww, that's too bad! But you said you came to Hope's Peak for personal reason, so may I-"

"No."

"…"

"…"

"Okaaaaaaaay…" the brown-haired woman chuckled. "I take it that's too personal, correct?"

"Indeed. I have no doubts you know all there is to know about it already anyway, so I don't feel like telling you about it would be useful, ma'am." _Besides… you might be my teacher, but that's none of your business, honestly._

"Right," Kyoko noticed she didn't deny her assumption, as she simply kept going. "Back to what I was saying, I think you should enjoy yourself more, Kyoko. You know, there are tens of thousands of students who dream of entering the famous Hope's Peak Academy! Those who have parents wealthy enough can afford the Reserve Course but think of all the others! Their dream is being shattered every day because of a lack of talent, so I think you should realize how lucky you are and enjoy yourself a bit more, if only for those who dream of being in your shoes."

Kyoko took in her teacher's words and gave them some thought.

 _I suppose there is some truth in what she says, however…_ "Sorry for my rudeness, ma'am, but if their dream is entering this school, then they should work to earn a talent worthy of an Ultimate. I know I had to work extremely hard and make a lot of sacrifices to become the Ultimate Detective, and I don't think anyone not willing to make these efforts can be worthy of Hope's Peak Academy."

"I don't doubt for a second that you did your best to become the person you are today, Kyoko, don't get me wrong," Yuki argued, becoming more assertive. "However, while I agree with you that determination and efforts are at the core of any talent, you know as well as I do that there are many other factors involved."

"Yes, that's right." Kyoko had to agree and nodded.

"The household you grew up in, your family's wealth, genetics…" the teacher listed. "These are factors that will determine just how talented efforts and determination will make you. And trust me, Kyoko, there are many students out there willing to make the same efforts you made, sacrifice as much as you sacrificed, but who wouldn't ever be as talented as an Ultimate. And for these hard-working people, you _have_ to live your student life here happily, or at least seek happiness."

The Ultimate Detective remained silent for a few seconds as the other woman finished speaking. _To seek happiness? I am not particularly unhappy, or at least I don't think so…_ She mused, eying Yuki - who was smiling at her. _I find happiness in the quality of my work, and even if I have lost much, I still have the pursuit of the truth as a goal to help me move forward…_

Seeing her deep in thought, Ms. Yoshida spoke up again. "I see I've got you to think about it. That's the most important, Kyoko. Once you begin to think about it, you'll be able to understand the situation surrounding this school's fame better. And I'm sure you'll understand _yourself_ better, too."

"I'll understand _myself_ better?" the detective echoed and received a nod as a response. _I think I understand myself quite well… But that part about this school's fame intrigues me… I feel like this is bound to come up when I start to actually investigate this school, so I should press her for more detail._ "And I'll understand this school's fame better, too?"

"Yeah, that's right. There's a reason this school became so popular among people your age, you know? And it's because of Hope's Peak's glorious past." Yuki explained, then went on. "There isn't a single high-school student in Japan who hasn't heard of Hope's Peak Academy and for an excellent reason. This school creates elites from talented people. So, of course, students without a talent work hard to get one, so they can enroll here, and even if it can't be enough for all of them… it helps society improve. And for these young people… you're their examples."

 _That… actually makes a lot of sense…_ The detective realized as she brought her hand to her chin in thought. _A virtuous circle... A way to lead the world's youth... and with Hope's Peak Academy at its core..._

"And among the sixteen of you this year, is a representative of all these students outside, working hard to be worthy of Hope's Peak. Many of them won't succeed, yeah, but by trying to follow their example, they'll bring something of their own to the table, and everyone will benefit." the homeroom teacher stood up and walked to the window, staring at the blue sky. She had her back to Kyoko, but the Kirigiri detective could see her smile nonetheless. "That's just my opinion, but… I feel like that's the true meaning of hope. And for you all to grasp it, you'll need to create that link between your Ultimate talents and your talentless peers. And do you know what, or rather who, that link is, Kyoko?"

She turned back towards the Ultimate Detective, who had not moved an inch on her chair. She was listening closely to her teacher's words, and it didn't take her long to figure out the answer.

 _I think I do… And if we have the same person in mind, then my suspicions will be confirmed…_ "Makoto Naegi."

"Yeah, exactly." Yuki nodded, which made Kyoko realize she was right. "Class 78th's Ultimate Lucky Student… contrary to Class 77-B's Ultimate Lucky Student whose luck is simply insane, Makoto apparently doesn't have particularly good luck. You see… he came to class earlier this afternoon, and I got a chance to chat with him a bit more," she explained, sitting back down at her desk. "It was certainly interesting to see how much he idolized Hope's Peak, but also all the pressure this school put on his shoulders to find his place among this class. You know Kyoko… your current way of thinking is a form of disrespect for people like him."

The teacher didn't say that accusingly, but Kyoko felt very much accused by that statement. As a detective, she was more used to being the accusatory one than being accused herself, so the feeling was new and not really appreciated.

"I don't believe this is the case, ma'am," Kyoko argued, letting know of her frustration with a sigh. "Makoto is free to do whatever he wants, and this is none of my business. On the other hand, I expect what I do here to be no one's business but my own."

"Yeah, and this is where you're making a mistake, Kyoko."

"Hm?" the Ultimate Detective looked up in surprise. "A mistake, you say?"

Yuki nodded. "Yes, and a pretty important one at that. You are Makoto's classmate, and in return, he is yours. That might not seem like much to you, but at Hope's Peak Academy, classmates are supposed to share close relationships. Most often, it's not that they even want to get close, but time passes and bonds form, sometimes even with the students unaware of it!"

 _Forming a bond with my classmates?_ Kyoko wondered though it didn't take her long to classify the thought as foolish. _Bonds only get in the way of the truth I look for, so I can't be swayed by them._

"I'll give you an example, so you might see what I mean better." the teacher said, before pulling out a photo from her handbag underneath the desk. "I began here as a literature teacher for Class 74th. It was a good class, with great young people, but at the beginning… even when I wasn't their homeroom teacher, I could see just how divided they were. But then, when they elected their Class Representative," she pointed to an orange-haired girl on the photo. "things began to change. First, she befriended two of her classmates in particular." she said, then pointed to two boys, one being white-haired and the other well-muscled. "And from there, she brought her whole class together. They've graduated now, but I know they remained extremely close and are doing better for it. And I believe your class should be more of the same, Kyoko."

"How so?" _Good for them if they are happy together, but I don't see how it relates to the bonds I should form with my classmates, at least according to Ms. Yoshida…_

"Well, I'm sure every student has things they'd like to keep to themselves, thoughts they deem too personal, or things like that, but honestly, you don't know how much you gain when you let it all out," she answered, placing the photo back in her bag. "Classmates are supposed to spend time together and share their thoughts, whether they're happy or not! That's how you value your time at Hope's Peak, and that's how I would like you to think. I know it can be hard for some students to see things another way, but no painful childhood or lack of experience with social interactions should ever prevent an Ultimate from living an Ultimate School Life, at least… not on my watch."

As if she had heard a trigger, Kyoko's head shot up as her teacher concluded her statement. _A painful childhood… and a lack of experience with social interactions…? That's…!_

"I can't ask you to change if you don't want to, Kyoko, but as your teacher, I'd love to see you smile more often, and that comes with befriending your classmates." Yuki continued, as Kyoko looked more and more lost in her thoughts. "There's no other way around it, and it seems Makoto understood that."

 _Makoto again… His name keeps popping up time and time again when he's the only talentless student in this class…_ "You think Makoto Naegi had trouble with social skills before, Ms. Yoshida? That seems unlikely."

"And why do you think this is so unlikely, Kyoko?" Yuki wondered.

"Because out of every one of my classmates, he's the one I have the most trouble figuring out," Kyoko replied, thinking back to her organizer in her room. "But the one thing that was clear as day about him was that he wanted to befriend everyone as quickly as he could, so I'm having doubts he could have been asocial at one point."

"Hm, yes, that's right." Yuki agreed though she added, "But before being asocial, something is characterizing Makoto in particular, and it makes sense when you think about it."

"I assume you are talking about his visible lack of self-confidence?" the detective assumed, drawing her own conclusions from her interactions with the boy. "This optimism he shows… I believe that it is genuine towards the others, but not towards himself."

"Hm?" she got Ms. Yoshida's interest, though the young woman remained silent, wordlessly urging Kyoko to go on.

"He lacks talent and doesn't believe he has any place at this school - or at least wonders if he will be able to find his place here," the lavender-haired girl continued, going full detective mode. "And in an attempt to correct that behavior and lie to himself, he shows this optimistic outlook. It seems to be working with some, but it was pretty easy to figure out. Well, this is speculation and would need to be acknowledged by some evidence, but the basis for it is pretty solid."

Yuki observed her with a growing smile on her face, making Kyoko a little uneasy. Seeing this, the teacher shook her head funnily before speaking up.

"You're definitely worthy of your Ultimate talent." the brown-haired woman said, still smiling - proudly, Kyoko assumed. "Yeah, that's the conclusion I reached, too. Well, we won't ever know for sure, because I doubt Makoto would just tell us about his self-confidence issues, but as you said, there's reason to believe that. I have no doubt his optimism will bring something to the class, but I wouldn't want him to feel bad while he makes the others feel better, you know?"

 _I'm starting to feel like you're not the type to leave any student on the side…_ Kyoko's thoughts were based on two things: what she was hearing right now, and what she had heard in the morning, during the first class of the year. "And what do you think you could do to help him, ma'am? Wanting to help people is one thing, but actually doing it is another." _I've learned that lesson the hard way…_

"Well, it'll definitely take time, that's for sure…" Yuki told the Kirigiri detective, unaware of Kyoko's unpleasant thoughts. "I tried to help him a bit when he came earlier with my experience as an Ultimate Lucky Student," the girl quickly picked up on that. "I think it helped him, but I can't say whether it'll only be temporary or not yet."

 _So you were an Ultimate Lucky Student, too, hm…?_ Kyoko made sure to remember that, in case she ever needed that piece of information. _And using your own experience to guide him was probably the thing to do, but I don't think a lack of self-confidence so deeply rooted can be helped off this easily._

"Though there is something I know for sure, and it's that Makoto will only find the help he truly needs to overcome his issues thanks to the people he's close to." the teacher went on, seeing how Kyoko didn't have anything to say. "His fifteen classmates, and in particular, Sayaka-"

"No, that's not a prudent idea." Kyoko cut her. "Apologies for interrupting you while you were speaking, Ms. Yoshida, but I couldn't disagree more with what you just said. Makoto trusting Sayaka is NOT a good thing, and will only lead him straight into a wall."

"I see… the scout said you were impressive, but I didn't expect that…" the woman muttered, to herself most likely, but still out loud. "I assume you know of Sayaka's secret then; am I wrong?"

"Yes, I do." Kyoko simply replied. _My esteem for this school is going down by the second…_ She sighed in exasperation. _They conduct background searches for their students but accept them even when they used threats against their competitors…_ "And that's why I firmly believe Makoto getting too close to her could be dangerous."

"Is that so? Well, your skepticism is healthy, and that is certainly a conclusion I deemed possible when I learned of Sayaka's secret, however…" Yuki paused before her tone became slightly more unsure. "Everything would seem to indicate she is a manipulative person, but I feel like there's more about her than meets the eye, wouldn't you say? Well, except if you have some information I do not have, nothing proves Sayaka ever did anything wrong herself, right? I don't know a thing about the world of pop idols, but I'm sure their managers have a bigger role than we think."

 _That's awfully trusting of you…_ Kyoko realized, but other than an expression of doubt, let her teacher continue.

"Anyway, we're getting off-topic. Whatever the truth about Sayaka is, I know why you would consider her suspicious, especially as a detective. But I think the kindness she's showing Makoto is genuine, nonetheless."

The look the Ultimate Detective gave the former Ultimate Lucky Student was enough to show just how much she doubted that, though to make sure she'd understand, she said, "With all due respect, ma'am, I'm having serious trouble believing that. I won't make any early assumptions, but I can't acquit her before seeing more, either." _And this is why I need to keep investigating Sayaka, so I can shed some light on all that…_

"Oh, well, you're free to think whatever you want, Kyoko, you won't hear me admonish you for having an opinion," Yuki assured her, showing a small smile. "I suppose I am more trusting than you are. Still…" her smile turned into a smirk as she asked, "I can't help but wonder why you would care so much if Makoto got deceived by Sayaka if you truly don't care for him, huh?"

That shut Kyoko up. She literally didn't know what to say to that and was stuck asking herself the same question Yuki had just asked her. _She's right… Kyoko, why would you even so much if Makoto got deceived by Sayaka? This is more than not wanting to let a possible manipulative mind gain influence, no…_

"I suppose he is kind enough not to be deceived," Kyoko admitted, though reluctantly. She didn't enjoy giving even an inch of ground to her opponents - and even if her teacher couldn't be considered an opponent, it was the same feeling. This wasn't exactly a battle of wits, but being cornered by her own words didn't please her one bit.

 _It's been years since a criminal turned my words against me to win an argument, and while you aren't a criminal, it feels really similar… Yuki Yoshida… you're much smarter than you'd like us to believe…_ A small grin appeared on Kyoko's lips. _And I think I prefer it this way._

"Well, that is something we'll agree on." Ms. Yoshida said with a shrug. "But you know… if you really want to make sure Makoto cannot be deceived… I'd say befriending him is the way to go. Well, that's just little old me rambling, so make of it what you will."

"Hmph." _Perhaps I don't want him to be deceived, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to befriend him for that._

"Well, if you do not have any more questions, you're free to leave," Yuki told her, standing him from her chair. "Thank you again for coming, Kyoko. I'm glad we could chat and that I could learn a bit more about you."

"Hm, I suppose I can say the same, ma'am." Kyoko also stood up, before bowing at her teacher. "Have a nice day, Ms. Yoshida. Goodbye."

"Yeah, good day to you too, Kyoko!" the teacher waved with a big smile to her detective student as Kyoko left the room.

As the Ultimate Detective closed the classroom's door and began to walk back to the dorms, her mind was on the chat she had just shared with her teacher.

 _This definitely wasn't a waste of my time._ The detectivethought, allowing herself a small smile she quickly put away when she noticed students passing by in the halls. _I'd even say it was very informative, and I feel like Ms. Yoshida helped me shed some light on Makoto…_

A look of uncertainty appeared on Kyoko's face as she walked down the stairs.

_Though I can't help but wonder… is it my role to help you, Makoto Naegi?_

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Yuki's appearance in this story! I did not have to write her in a long, long time since she didn't make any more appearances in AOH after Chapter Ten, so it definitely felt good to write about the class's teacher again! Anyway, any comment is appreciated, and I hope you all have a great day! ^^


	4. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Class 78th elects its representative, Kyoko reveals a truth Makoto didn't want to hear...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer than the first three, and I believe the readers of AOH will understand why. Enjoy!

**_Chapter Four: Understanding_ **

"Okay, so today you're electing your class rep!" Ms. Yoshida announced once the entire class was seated. "I've got the ballot box right here, and you should all have a ballot paper and a pen in front of you. Now, I recall that Taka was our only candidate right now, right?"

They all nodded. _This should be quick, considering we only have one candidate._ Kyoko thought as all the eyes turned towards the Ultimate Moral Compass. _I have my reserves about Taka, but I suppose we have no other choice…_

"Alright. As per protocol, though, I need to ask again. Does anyone wish to be a candidate?" the teacher asked, looking at each of the students. "This is the final chance for you to change your decision."

Except for some whispering on her left that Kyoko was too far to hear - and didn't really care enough to listen to - no one said anything, and thus, Yuki proceeded.

At least, she was about to, until Sayaka suddenly stood up from her chair, getting the room's full attention.

"Ms. Yoshida! There is another candidate!"

_Huh?_ Kyoko - and most of the class - was caught by surprise by that announcement. _Her, the class rep…?_ Kyoko would have laughed if she didn't find that turn of events potentially dangerous for the class. Even Yuki seemed surprised but kept going, anyway.

"Oh, really? Very well, Saya-"

"It's Makoto Naegi!"

_W-Wait… What the…?!_ Kyoko's eyes widened in genuine surprise as she turned on her direct left and noticed the Ultimate Lucky Student's eyes as wide as hers. He certainly didn't seem as confident as the Ultimate Pop Sensation was, and somehow… _I have this feeling that's not a choice he's comfortable with… nor a choice he made on his own…_

The Ultimate Detective eyed the pop star with great suspicion but remained silent as she watched the scene unfold. As she expected, the supposedly lucky student's voice was shaky as he announced that he really wanted to be a candidate for the position. She did notice he straightened himself on his chair - in a poor attempt at displaying a form of confidence he clearly did not have - but he wasn't even the person Kyoko was inspecting thoroughly.

No, her violet eyes stared at the blue-haired girl on Makoto's left, trying to find any trace of malice, or at least, of deceptiveness.

_And once again, Makoto follows Sayaka rather than his free will…_ The pop idol must not have caught her staring at her, as she didn't even glance in her direction. Instead, she focused wholly on the teacher and the hazel-eyed boy. _I'm getting this uncomfortable feeling that he needs to be more careful around her, or he'll one day regret it…_

Still, the detective didn't say anything and simply frowned, as she knew exposing her hand (figuratively speaking) in front of the entire class and the sharp minds of some of her classmates wouldn't be a smart idea. She did catch a glance of the Ultimate Lucky Student's semi-panicked expression and regretted not being able to hide her initial surprise completely, however. Well, it was not like she had surprise printed all over her face, but the Ultimate Detective believed it was enough for someone observant to notice.

_No need to dwell over it, though._ Kyoko decided and began to listen to Yuki more closely, as the teacher explained how the two candidates would deliver a short speech to convince their classmates to vote for them, then they'd vote.

That part particularly interested Kyoko.

_I couldn't really care less about the class rep position, but seeing how they try to convince the class should prove useful._ The lavender-haired girl thought as the moral compass went up to the podium and began to speak, a speech he had definitely learned by heart beforehand.

Kyoko winced when Junko and Hina interrupted Taka almost immediately but had to admit they had a point. The Ultimate Moral Compass was the cliché of a demagogical politician willing to say anything to please the electorate. Of course, that didn't sit well with the swimmer and the fashionista's colorful personalities, and the detective couldn't blame them.

Yuki quickly intervened, and after admonishing the two girls and asking them to keep quiet while their classmate was speaking, Taka resumed. The rest of his speech was more of the same: promises he most likely wouldn't keep - or at least, partially - and words of encouragement for his classmates to focus more on their studies.

The boy concluded before bowing to his classmates. He returned to his seat and received a round of applause from a part of the class. Still, some others pretty much ignored him. Kyoko simply clapped out of respect. Frankly, the moral compass wasn't really the person whom she was waiting for the speech of.

_Now let's see how *he* does…_ The girl thought as Yuki called Makoto called to the podium. The lucky student stood up, pretty hesitantly, Kyoko noticed, and made his way to where Taka had stood a minute before. _Will he offer a good enough alternative to Taka, I wonder…_

After receiving a thumbs up from the Ultimate Pop Sensation, Makoto began to speak, and the pressure he felt could be sensed in the room, honestly.

"U-Um… H-Hello again, everyone… I-I suppose t-this wasn't expected…" _No, it definitely wasn't…_ Kyoko thought with a discrete eye-roll, and the boy continued, saying, "But I'd like to become your class representative."

After saying those words, the boy seemed to gather some more confidence, although the Ultimate Detective couldn't really understand why. She knew how it was to speak in front of an audience, no matter how many people composed said audience. The detective path meant you had to interrogate suspects, sometimes in groups, had testified in trials, and all that required lots of work to gain in assurance and confidence.

_It took me time to work on that, and if it weren't for Grandfather's insistence that I needed to appear as confident as possible, I probably never would have gotten there. But…_ She eyed the Ultimate Lucky Student curiously, surveying the way he stood, where he was looking at, as well as the expression in his eyes. _Just seeing your classmates listening to you made you more confident… Interesting…_

"I'm not exactly a pro at this stuff, but I think I know you guys well enough to be your class rep," Makoto stated, though he took some caution and didn't say that too assertively.

And he probably was right to do so. _Hm, no, you don't know everyone well enough, Mr. Naegi…_ Kyoko cursed herself for almost smiling right there and then, but she thought it was funny how the candidate believed that when it was far from the truth. _In fact, I'd argue that the ones you think you know the most are those you actually know the least…_ A quick glance towards the Ultimate Pop Sensation.

"As you know, I'm not the Ultimate Socializer or anything, but I'm sure that with enough _motivation_ and will, we can all be united as a group," Makoto added, as Kyoko definitely caught Yuki's smile to him as he said that. "Because we have the luck to all be different, to all have our preferences, to all have our dreams… but there is one dream I personally have and that I wish to fulfill more than anything: to be the best classmate I can for every one of you.

_If there is something I now know is genuine, it's your need to ensure this class can bond together…_

"Whether it is through hanging out together, organizing events, anything really… I know we can all bond even closer, and then nothing will ever tear us apart. I know I'm not everybody's best friend, and I'm not asking to be. My only wish is that we can all get along even more than we already do, and I'd be glad to help with that as your class representative. Thank you."

The boy politely bowed before making his way back to his desk, next to Sayaka. The thing Kyoko immediately picked up on was the fact that the applause he got was way louder than Taka's, but she remained careful before making a decision.

_That's probably because Hina and Junko were cheering for him like an entire crowd…_ The detective mused and sighed at the two girls' enthusiasm. _I suppose this means Makoto is extremely popular among some of our classmates…_

Yuki announced the beginning of the vote, calling the Ultimate Swimming Pro first in alphabetical order. Being further down the list of last names, Kyoko realized she still had some time to think of who she would vote for.

_At the end of the day, this is my decision, and I absolutely don't know who I should vote for…_ It was a rare instance of hesitation for the Ultimate Detective, but right now, weighing the pros and cons of both of her classmates seemed like a limited option. _They both have their qualities and their flaws, and comparing them is rather complicated…_

Her background investigation of the Ultimate Moral Compass had taught her that Kiyotaka Ishimaru was the grandson of former Prime Minister Toranosuke Ishimaru who had finished his career disgraced after a corruption scandal. Kyoko didn't really want her class's representative to be corrupted, though she also knew Taka's actions didn't have to be dictated by his grandfather's former misdeeds.

_He seems apt to leading a group, though he takes his ideas to an extreme… I suppose he could be a good representative as long as he doesn't get in my way… And with some luck, his need to have a semblance of order at all times will actually work, and this school will remain quiet while I investigate it…_

On the other hand was Makoto, the boy whom Kyoko was trying her best to understand more. Right now, there were still many mysterious points about him, and the detective couldn't leave them unsolved in good conscience. Though she did have some certainties about him, one of which was his kind nature. She doubted his genuineness at first, but after one month of classes and occasional quick chats during breakfast, there was no doubt for the detective that he was a kind person.

Still, that didn't mean he could be any good as a leader, nor that his kind nature had to be a good thing.

_You're too naïve, you place your trust in others blindly, and even if you probably don't deserve it, people will use that to their advantage._ Kyoko thought, inspecting the boy on her right. He was still chatting with the pop idol. _I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you will change and become more alert around people potentially deceiving you, but something tells me that won't be the case._

The way he smiled at his blue-haired friend made Kyoko wonder.

_But you look happy, and even if Sayaka made you do it, it seems this candidacy did wonders for your self-confidence… It might not be for today, but if you can prove to me that your way of living can bring this class something positive…_ She took the pen on the desk. _Then perhaps it'll be your name I write next year…_

Yuki called her to cast her ballot into the ballot box, and while she had not voted for Makoto Naegi, he had at least won her interest a little bit more, whatever the results of the election ended up being.

* * *

_Well, these were intriguing results…_ Kyoko thought as she headed for the cafeteria to grab lunch after class had ended. _It seems Taka's experience in the field of leading a group allowed him to edge out the win, but this was close…_

Indeed, the Ultimate Moral Compass had won the election for Class Representative by a margin of eight votes to Makoto's six. It had been competitive until the last ballot, but Taka was now Class 78th's class rep, at least for one year.

As for the Ultimate Lucky Student, the detective had not noticed any signs of him being a sore loser, far from it, actually. He had clapped after Taka's short victory and didn't seem too disappointed to have lost. Now, he was visibly heading either back to the dorms or to the cafeteria as well. And as pretty much always, he wasn't alone, as Sayaka walked by side, the two chatting from a few feet away.

A few feet away, meaning Kyoko could hear them pretty well, and even if she disliked listening to private conversations, she had to admit to herself that getting a chance to know what the pop star and the lucky student exchanged about interested her.

_I suppose once is acceptable… And after what Ms. Yoshida told me a month ago, I prefer to ensure that she can't manipulate him…_

Kyoko heard them discuss the boy's short defeat, and how Makoto considered it a win, nonetheless.

_Yes, that is true._ Kyoko said to herself, making sure to keep some distance between her and her two classmates not to be heard. The high-heeled boots weren't helping. _If the boost in self-confidence you went through during your speech lasts… that'd be interesting._

The lucky student seemed grateful to the Ultimate Pop Sensation that she had pushed him and his candidacy. For once, Kyoko couldn't say it had been a bad thing, though when Sayaka mentioned that she cared for Makoto's well-being, the Ultimate Detective was _way_ more doubtful.

_Hmph, that sounds like a lie._ Kyoko told herself, focusing on their conversation. _Even if, I have to admit… I can't hear the malice in her voice, so either she's good at lying, or she's not lying at all… Chances are, it's the former._

Still, this was enough to make Makoto blush, and the young star didn't miss a beat as she teased him about it. The lavender-haired girl realized he wasn't going to deny it.

_Well, if there is something this first month at Hope's Peak taught me, it's that Makoto cares for Sayaka, and in all likelihood, as more than a friend…_

Then, the two classmates began to wonder who had voted for him - apart from the two of them. Kyoko agreed with their deduction that Leon, Hina, Junko, and most likely Hiro had sided with the Ultimate Lucky Student, as the other possibilities seemed unlikely.

"You know, we could prepare a coup during the year, it could be fun!" Sayaka suggested casually.

"A-A-A coup?!" Makoto stammered, taking her words seriously. "W-Why?!"

_Come on! Don't tell me you didn't understand it was a joke!_ Kyoko thought and rolled her eyes. _If even *I* understood that, then it means everyone could have, you included!_

"Oh, come on! It's simple!" the pop idol said. It didn't seem that simple nor that evident to Makoto, though. "To overthrow the regime in power!"

_But she's clearly dragging that joke on for way too long…_ The detective thought but made sure to remain silent for the time being.

"N-No! We can't do that!" Makoto argued quickly. "Taka was elected democratically; I can't do that!"

Sayaka stopped in front of him, a disapproving look on her face. Kyoko gasped and made sure to quickly take a step to the side to avoid being seen. _C-Curse! Why did she stop like that?!_

From what she could see, Makoto was a little uncomfortable at the look he was receiving from the blue-haired girl; until suddenly… "Hahahahahahahaha! Y-You should see yourself, Makoto!" Sayaka erupted in laughter, her body nearly convulsing.

_That is a wild reaction if I've ever seen one…_ Kyoko thought, eying her two classmates carefully. _I can't say I enjoy seeing someone being made fun of, honestly._

"W-What…?" was all the Ultimate Lucky Student managed to say, probably a little surprised by the sudden change of mood.

It took a little while - approximately thirty seconds, Kyoko estimated - for Sayaka to calm down and stop laughing. Instead, she put on her customary - _and deceitful_ , the detective mused - smile and gave the boy what appeared to be a kind smile.

"That's what I like about you, Makoto, you're always a little naïve," the singer said then continued. "That's an endearing trait."

These words put Kyoko a little on edge. She knew Sayaka was right - on the first part, that is - but she clearly didn't like the way she was telling Makoto this. _I think it is time I end this farce. I know I shouldn't be intervening before Sayaka actually did anything… but I can't have her fooling Makoto like this any longer. He's clearly too trusting to understand she's deceiving him._

"U-Um… T-Thanks… I guess? Huh… sorry to ask, but… what was that just now…?" the lucky student asked, visibly lost. It was beginning to frustrate Kyoko.

"I was kidding, silly!" Sayaka exclaimed as if it'd been obvious. The only thing that seemed evident to Kyoko was the pop idol's malicious intention. "Of course, I don't want you to stage a coup to overthrow Taka! I was just messing with you to see how you'd react! Oh, that was priceless!"

"Indeed, it was. As for this endearing trait you talked about, that still remains to be seen." Kyoko stepped in, her voice completely stoic, though she made sure she was being heard by the two other Ultimates. _I fail to see what is so endearing in one's naiveté…_

"K-Kyoko?!" both Makoto and Sayaka exclaimed in surprise as they turned around to face the Ultimate Detective.

"Were you eavesdropping on us, Kyoko?" the pop idol immediately asked, accusingly staring at the lavender-haired girl.

"Not at all." she simply replied very calmly. "I was just trailing behind when we came out of class and overheard you, that's all. Sorry if it sounded like I was eavesdropping." _A lie, but a needed one._ Kyoko thought.

"N-No, it's fine, really!" Makoto assured her, giving her a bit of a panicked smile. "Right, Sayaka?"

"Yeah, right," she said and resumed her walking. Kyoko exactly knew what to make of that.

_It immediately becomes harder to deceive when your interlocutor isn't Makoto, am I wrong?_ She held back a smirk as her expression remained perfectly stoic, but Kyoko was definitely enjoying interrupting the pop idol's fun right now.

"It doesn't seem like you put a lot of trust in my words, Sayaka," the detective told her fellow girl classmate, innocently - though her words carried more weight than Makoto could have understood. "That is unfortunate."

The pop sensation stopped in her tracks, turning to face Kyoko. It didn't take more than a second for her to decipher Sayaka's poor poker face. The purple-eyed girl could see the annoyance in Sayaka's own eyes, but also a form of worry.

That made Kyoko realize she probably had worried for nothing. _It seems like she began to deceive Makoto because he was the only person on this planet she was skilled enough to deceive…_ Of course, when you were used to interrogating criminal masterminds, this was child's play.

"I'm just not one to give people the benefit of the doubt, you see." the blue-haired star said, trying her best to sound composed. "I do trust your words, but I would have preferred if you had manifested yourself earlier, instead of making it look like you were eavesdropping. Now, if you don't mind…"

With this, Sayaka resumed her walking and gradually sped up towards the exit, leaving Makoto and Kyoko behind. The former's mood dampened as his friend left, while Kyoko remained perfectly stoic.

_Well, perhaps it'll only be temporary, but at least she'll realize someone has got her figured out._ Kyoko thought, before addressing the boy. "It seems my presence was unwanted."

"Huh?"

"I'll be gone too if you don't mind," Kyoko said and began to walk away, having only little interest now that she had confronted the pop idol. Perhaps she'd talk to Makoto to discuss other things, but she didn't feel like doing it now.

"Wait, Kyoko!" the lucky student called her out before she got too far, though.

"Yes…?" _What could he possibly want?_

"What did you mean earlier by 'that remains to be seen?'" he asked, his voice insistent, at least, more than usual.

"I meant that your naiveté is both a good and a bad trait." the detective said, not bothering to turn around to face him. "I don't doubt you have excellent intentions for everyone, which is why you actually chose to be a candidate. I agree to some extent that idealism cannot hurt, however…"

_I suppose leading him on the right track cannot hurt… I don't have the time to deal with Sayaka every day, so if he could do it himself once and for all, I'd appreciate it._

"You don't seem to realize you are losing your free will as you do so," she told him, taking him by surprise if his reaction was any indication.

"Hm… What do you mean?" Makoto wondered, visibly trying to understand what she meant.

"It seems you don't realize it yet…" Kyoko sighed in exasperation. _He truly is clueless, isn't he…? Well, I'll tell him the whole story and let him do what he wants with it._ "By any chance, have you done some research on Sayaka before coming to this school?"

"Huh…?! Y-Yeah… I mean, kinda… I just looked over the list of students on the Internet, nothing more…"

Kyoko actually knew what Makoto was thinking. _He's probably wondering why I never appeared on the lists he found…_ She deduced easily. _I suppose that could seem suspicious, especially now that he knows the Headmaster is my father…_

"I see. I'll show you then, but you'll have to follow me." Kyoko said assertively, making sure he didn't refuse. "A simple Google check was enough to find what I was looking for, but I suppose not everyone has the eye to find this kind of info."

"W-What kind of info…? A-And where are we going, exactly?!" Makoto asked but still followed, making sure to closely follow his classmate.

Kyoko didn't stop walking as she simply told him, "Info about the true nature of Sayaka Maizono."

* * *

The detective and her lucky classmate entered her room, which was as clean and tidy as usual. Kyoko had never invited someone in her dorm room before, but she made sure to keep it tidy if only for herself.

"H-Hm, so what did you want to tell me, Kyoko…?" Makoto asked prudently as the detective opened one drawer of her desk and pulled out a red folder. "You said you had something to tell me about Sayaka, right?"

"Correct." the girl answered, opening the folder which was labeled 'Sayaka Maizono' in black capital letters, and took out a couple of papers. _It'll probably hurt you… but I feel like you need it to move forward…_ "There, give this a read." she said, handing him the papers.

"O-Oh… um, sure…" the Ultimate Lucky Student hesitantly accepted the notes, as Kyoko sat at her desk. He began to read through it quietly.

Kyoko knew these notes by heart, and she precisely knew where the part that would hurt the most was. She saw the boy's eyes drift downwards as he read, confusion all over his face. The documents she had handed him were sources and confidential information that proved how Sayaka's managing team had threatened all her opponents to lead her to stardom. Some bits were disturbing, and she knew that very well, but she wanted to prove a point to Makoto.

_If this doesn't make you think… I don't know what will._ The Ultimate Detective thought as Makoto's eyes widened in shock mostly, but also in terror.

"W-What the _hell_ is that?!" Makoto suddenly exclaimed, looking at Kyoko with misunderstanding in his voice. The change was sudden, but Kyoko expected as much. "T-That can't be true!"

_But still… I can't say this is a pleasant reaction to witness…_ The detective thought, wincing at his response even if it was highly predictable.

"I'm afraid it is, Makoto," the detective told him and kept her answer brief not to break Makoto's spirit completely. Still, she had to make sure the boy understood, and thus said, "Sayaka is not as pure as she appears."

"No! That's not possible! She wouldn't do things like that!"

_I understand why it would seem this way when you're not used to accepting truths this violent… But the first step towards the acceptance of the truth is understanding, Makoto…_

"Sit down, Makoto, and take deep breaths," she instructed him, gesturing to a chair near her bed. "Only then will you be able to consider everything you've learned."

"H-How do you want me to consider that when you're trying to show me my best friend did _those_ sorts of things?!" the Ultimate Lucky Student shouted angrily, sobbing desperately, and honestly, quite pathetically. "T-That's… It can't be true!"

Kyoko knew why it was so difficult for him to accept the truth she was presenting him. She knew exactly why because she'd been in his shoes once. The detective had felt betrayed once, and this had forged her into the person she was today. And frankly… she didn't wish what she had gone through to anyone, but…

_If Makoto is to move on from this… he needs to do it himself. That's how he'll grow and develop his critical thinking to balance his sentimentalism and idealism…_ She thought, looking at her despairing classmate with slight pity in her violet eyes. _It's not fun for me either, but the struggle for the truth isn't meant to be fun._

After a while during which he remained silent, his sobbing notwithstanding, Makoto looked up tearfully and muttered, "A-Are you even sure… t-this info can be trusted…?" Kyoko was about to respond, but she didn't even get the chance. "Y-Yeah, it must be… You're the U-Ultimate Detective, after all…"

It was technically a compliment, but Kyoko didn't feel like she should take pride in it, for some reason. The way the boy looked at her with only sadness and despair in his eyes even got through the stoic mask she always kept in place. He looked miserable, and she didn't even want to try and guess what he was thinking right now.

_My role… is to expose the truth. That is the path I chose, and one I'll follow always. But still… are all truths needed out in the open like that…?_ The lavender-haired girl wondered, taking her mind off her classmate for a second to think. _Was he ready to hear that truth?_

"The course of action you take is yours to decide, Makoto," she told him after some deep thought.

Her voice visibly snapped him out of it, but he wasn't able to say anything yet. Kyoko felt like she had to push forward and make him understand what he needed to do now, for himself, but also for the one he considered his friend - and probably something more.

" _Whatever the truth about Sayaka is, I know why you would consider her suspicious, especially as a detective. But I think the kindness she's showing Makoto is genuine, nonetheless."_

_Yes, that's what Ms. Yoshida told me a month ago… But is that true? And would Makoto see it that way?_

"I've exposed to you an objective truth, it's now up to you to decide what you make of it," Kyoko added, trying to answer her own questions as she spoke, "Will you believe her? Nothing indicates she knew anything of what her managers were doing, after all. Or will you distrust her? She clearly had her interests in such maneuvers when you think about it.

"There is something I know about myself, Makoto, and it's that I'm not good at making choices based on emotions. If it were me deciding right now, I'd choose not to trust her, not giving her the benefit of the doubt, at least before getting an explanation. But you're not me, Makoto. You are trusting of everyone, and as I told you before, that's both a strength and a weakness. Right now, you need to choose what your emotions tell you to do. Rest assured that I won't judge you for the decision you make."

_His emotions? W-Why… why did I say that?_

"You won't?"

_No, you won't, Kyoko. I don't know why… but I feel like I couldn't…_

"I won't."

"Then it's settled," Makoto said, not missing a beat as he replied. "I'll believe in her. Because I know the concern she showed me was genuine."

_Interesting… So you choose to trust, even in this situation… Well, if there's something you deserve praise for, it's your consistency, I can admit to that._

"I see. A risky path, but noble." Kyoko stated, making sure to keep her stance neutral, as she had promised him to do. If there was something Kyoko found unworthy of a Kirigiri detective, it was breaking a promise. "Well, I trust you to uncover the absolute truth of the matter and make further choices on your own."

"I will. I absolutely will."

As he said that, the detective brought her hand to her chin in her customary pensive stance, as she realized one thing: Makoto Naegi was as determined as anyone had ever been right now. His eyes that had been filled with despair had turned much more hopeful, and he seemed willing to fight to get the answers he needed.

In short, he was nothing like the meek little boy who looked about to be deceived. No, right there and then… Kyoko had to admit he looked impressive.

_You intrigue me, Makoto, you really do. You chose the hard path, and for some reason… I think you'll succeed. I was right: there is more to you than just an Ultimate Lucky Student. We have different ideals, but I suppose yours aren't any worse than mine when I think about it…_

_Your belief is definitely making you one of a kind, as averagely normal as you might be…_

* * *

Kyoko stepped out of her shower, cleaning herself of the sweat that had got on her skin during the bike trip. She originally had gone to see how her classmates would behave on a social outing outside of Hope's Peak but had been surprised to spend a good time.

The detective had kept an eye on Sayaka during the trip and was glad to see she didn't have that nearly-malicious glint in her eyes, which Kyoko knew was thanks to Makoto's probably heartful chat with her earlier. Whatever had happened, though, the two seemed as close as ever, if only for a moment they didn't seem too comfortable, but it didn't last long. Kyoko was actually kind of glad about that.

_I told Makoto I would trust his words, so if he's convinced that Sayaka isn't an immoral person… I suppose I'll have to believe him._ The detective thought, putting on her pajamas and wrapping herself around her nightgown. _And if he was wrong, he'll most likely be the only one to pay the price, anyway._

Now, the lavender-haired girl was sitting at her desk, with her desk lamp as her only source of light. She filed her case files, though her mind was still focused on the lucky student, and more specifically, on his words.

_How can you trust people so much even when there are doubts to be had?_ Kyoko wondered, absent-mindedly putting away her paperwork when it was complete. _Other than blind faith in her, you had no reason to believe Sayaka, but you still did… It doesn't really make sense, but I get the feeling that this is none of your concern._

The girl knew she was knowing her classmates more and more as the days passed, and Makoto was absolutely no exception. She knew him as well as his most frequent tendencies, but yet… she felt like understand him was more troublesome than it was for the others.

" _Because it's not in my nature to trust people blindly. That's all you, you know?"_ she had told him with a smirk when he had come back from his talk with Sayaka.

" _H-Heh heh… Guess it is…"_ Makoto's cheeks had flushed a little as Kyoko made that remark, and he had been as smiling as ever." _But I think you are lying to yourself, Kyoko."_

_Lying to myself, he says…_ She took a moment to ponder on these words a little more. _He's right that I gave him some information I didn't have to give him but was it because I trusted him? Is it possible that, deep down, he managed to earn my trust?_

…

_No, not yet. Even if it ended well this time around, I still need to be more careful with what the information I disclose._ The Ultimate Detective told herself. _What if I had been wrong, and he had tried to use that piece of information to blackmail her? I focused on Sayaka's apparent deceitfulness because it seemed so evident to me, but Makoto could have been the same, just better at hiding his true intentions… I'm lucky that wasn't the case._

" _You know what happened the last time you got close to someone, don't you, Kyoko?"_

Her grandfather's words echoed in her mind.

_I can't bring myself to distrust Makoto… Probably because of this genuine kindness of his… Perhaps I'm not supposed to get close to anyone, but it's hard not to be interested in Makoto Naegi, honestly. And if I'm asking myself these questions… could it be that I'd be willing to befriend him?_

_Could I be willing to let him be my first friend since Yui…?_

Kyoko brightly smiled as she signed another one of her case files, shaking her head in amusement.

_Kyoko Kirigiri… You're getting rusty if you're seriously thinking of friendship…_

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: I hope you liked this chapter! The idea was to show Kyoko's thoughts and character development during Chapter Three of AOH, and I hope you found that interesting. Anyway, please leave a comment if you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you have a good day! ^^


	5. Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bored and with nothing to do, Kyoko decides to go to class to spend the afternoon. Will she end up coming to an unexpected realization?

**_Chapter Five: Bonding_ **

Kyoko clicked her pen repeatedly, eying her stack of case files that had already been completed. There was a healthy amount, but as the Ultimate Detective, Kyoko was used to quick work, but it also had its drawbacks.

One of them was the evident boredom once it was all completed, and this afternoon was no exception.

_*sigh* I don't have any trials to prepare, and the precinct visibly won't send me any more case files to work on today…_ Kyoko set the pen down and took out her e-handbook from her vest pocket. _Let's see… 2:48 PM… I could go to the station to request some more work or spend time around campus…_

Her notes regarding her findings after her preliminary investigation of Hope's Peak still sat on her desk, carefully filed in a corner. It had gone smoothly, and Kyoko was now waiting for anything interesting to happen that would allow her to investigate some more.

_And I suppose a third option would be to go to class…_ The lavender-haired girl thought, sighing. _I guess I have nothing better to do, so it can't be a waste of time. Besides… there can't be any harm in spending time with my classmates… if they even show up!_

Indeed, the Ultimate Detective had noticed a trend on the few times she had gone to class since the beginning of the year: people didn't come often. The times Kyoko herself had gone to homeroom class could be counted on the fingers of one's hands, and from what she could observe, she wasn't the only one in this case.

_Taka is almost always there, apparently, and when he's not, he's either working on his Class Representative responsibilities or studying somewhere on campus…_ The detective mused, rolling her eyes. _On the other hand, Junko and Mukuro never go, which may or may not be surprising, honestly._

Deciding there was not much she could do except head to class and see where it would lead her, Kyoko placed the handbook back in her pocket and left her dorm room to go to class, where she hoped Ms. Yoshida could provide her a convenient way to spend the time.

* * *

After closing the door and locking the room, Kyoko began to head outside towards the main class building. She checked the time one more time to make sure she wouldn't be late, which would have been an issue since the detective didn't even come often, and placed the electronic handbook back inside her vest; she heard someone call out from behind.

"Hey, Kyoko!"

The Ultimate Detective turned around, surprised someone was calling her out like this all of a sudden. She quickly noticed Makoto catching up to her in a hurry, though when he caught up to her, he was panting slightly.

_Makoto…_ She sighed funnily and told herself that the Ultimate Lucky Student wasn't getting any sportier as the days passed. W _orking out from time to time wouldn't do him any harm!_

"G-Good afternoon… K-Kyoko…" the lucky student said in-between two breaths, as Kyoko shook her head in amusement. "H-How… How are you…?"

"Hello, Makoto." the girl greeted back politely, opting to show a small smile instead of her usual stoic expression, even if she didn't even know why. "I am doing fine, thank you. I was just heading to class, and I wouldn't be surprised if you were doing the same, correct?" _I wouldn't mind that._ Kyoko thought.

"Y-Yeah…" the boy took one deep breath, which allowed him to appear much less on the brink of unconsciousness. "I didn't have much to do, so I thought I'd check out who was in class. Though… I didn't expect to see you go to class, honestly. You don't come often…"

The detective resumed walking, with the Ultimate Lucky Student now next to her, and they finally got outside.

"Indeed. Well, I didn't have anything to do this afternoon either, so going to class was my only alternative." Kyoko replied matter-of-factly, walking the fastest out of the two. Though she made sure that Makoto could keep up, especially with how exhausted running less than sixty feet had made him. "I can't say I'm that surprised to see you go to class, however. From what I've heard, you are a regular, are you not?"

"Well, guess I am," Makoto told her, effectively keeping up the pace. "I can't always go, but I try to be there as often as possible, so I can see the others. And Ms. Yoshida's cool, too!"

Kyoko nodded. _No surprise there. Knowing him, he probably can't spend a day without seeing his classmates._

"Right. Well, I suppose that going to class might be the best way to bond with our classmates." the detective said before adding, "And since bonding with everyone seems to be your top priority, this makes a lot of sense."

"Yeah, I have the luck of being a student of Hope's Peak Academy, so I can't let that chance go to waste!" the boy proclaimed, his eyes slightly filling with passion as he talked about the school. "I don't think I'm as close with everyone as I am with people like Sayaka or Leon, but I'm getting there, slowly but surely!"

"Yes, I suppose you are." she couldn't hold back the small smile this time. _Once again, no surprise._ "You wouldn't trust others without getting to know them first now, would you?"

The girl smirked at him and held back a giggle when he blushed slightly, definitely catching the sarcasm in her voice. The incident with Sayaka's secret had already happened three weeks ago, and ever since that day, the pop idol had appeared to be a lot more friendly, at least from what Kyoko could tell. Makoto seemed to be as happy as ever, and the class had not run into any issue.

Overall, everything was going well, notably under the impulse of their Class Representative. The Ultimate Moral Compass was working really hard for the whole class, and while Kyoko wasn't as involved in the class activities as some of her classmates were, she appreciated the hard work. But whereas Taka improved the class through his position, the Ultimate Detective had to admit that Makoto was slowly unifying everyone, and that, only by spending time with them, and trusting them like only he knew how to, apparently.

"I-I guess not…" the boy answered, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "But I'm glad everyone seems to be doing well. It's really comforting."

The detective nodded, agreeing with this completely. _There's nothing worse than investigating when your peers are not doing well. They become a hindrance, and I can't say I am fond of those…_ Kyoko thought, before speaking her thoughts, "Indeed. And while I am still reluctant to do so, I believe you are to be praised for this, Makoto."

"O-Oh, n-no… I only did what I felt was right…" the Ultimate Lucky Student weakly said, blushing a little more. "It feels nice to know that people are getting closer and closer, and to be a part of that, y'know?"

_I can't say I do…_ Kyoko mused but decided not to say that, if only not to dampen her classmate's good especially good mood. Instead, she simply nodded once more, though she wasn't in total agreement. _Because I fear that Sayaka could have been just the tip of a very ugly iceberg…_

She recalled her notes about her classmates' secrets and how they were potentially a ticking bomb that could explode at any moment and threaten the cohesion and chemistry the boy was trying to create.

_It appears there was no reason to worry in Sayaka's case, but it might not always be that easy, I'm afraid…_

The two Ultimates entered the building and headed for the elevator.

"I wonder what Ms. Yoshida will have us do…" Makoto wondered out loud as they stepped inside the elevator, and Kyoko pressed the third-floor button.

"That is a good question." the detective girl said and adopted her customary pensive stance. "I never had anything resembling a normal class, at least for the few times I came. You'll probably be able to enlighten me some more, but it doesn't seem like Ms. Yoshida plans on teaching actual classes."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Makoto said, adopting a stance very similar to Kyoko's. "Every time I go to class, we either play a board game or discuss things and others. I believe they want us to go to optional classes on our own if we want to have normal classes like in our former high schools."

_Yes, these indeed exist, too…_ The girl thought as the elevator carried them to the third floor. _Not that I would have time to attend these, anyway._ "Do you attend these optional classes, Makoto?"

The hazel-eyed boy seemed a little ashamed when he replied. "N-No… No, I don't…" he looked down to the floor when the door opened. "That's a little miserable, I know…"

_Oh, is that some self-depreciation? I didn't expect that…_ "I think you're wrong, Makoto," Kyoko told him, seeing his mood dampen. "I don't attend any optional classes either, and I am pretty confident that a good majority of the class doesn't either." _Save Taka, who attends almost them all…_ "And while I am no expert, I don't think wanting to spend your time doing what you like can ever be considered miserable."

The boy looked up a bit and sent Kyoko a small grateful smile, wordlessly thanking her for the support - which even Kyoko knew was out of character for her. But for some reason, she felt it was necessary and didn't want to question herself right now.

They reached their classroom relatively quickly after that, and Makoto was the one to knock on the slightly open door that indicated that class was about to begin.

*knock* *knock*

"Come in!" Ms. Yoshida exclaimed from inside, and the two teens obliged and entered.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Yoshida!" Makoto greeted cheerily - to Kyoko's relief - and bowed to their homeroom teacher.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." the detective greeted much more formally and gave a smaller bow.

The young woman looked up from her papers on her desk to see the two students standing there and smiled at them brightly. "Oh, Makoto and Kyoko! Good to see you today!" Yuki said, standing up from her chair. "Especially you, Kyoko; I didn't expect to see you come, but it's great!"

"I didn't have any personal work to do, ma'am, hence my coming to class this afternoon." the lavender-haired girl replied.

"Well, no matter why you came, I'm glad to see you." the teacher turned her attention to Makoto. "And it's good to see my favorite Ultimate Lucky Student, too!"

"T-Thank you, M-Ms. Yoshida…" the boy stuttered in embarrassment, making the two women smile, though Kyoko kept it discrete.

"Hm… It's already three o'clock, and there's only the two of you there, so I have a feeling you'll be the only ones to come this afternoon…" the teacher said as she reached to grab something from her handbag, underneath the desk. "I had planned to organize a little discussion about eventual class trips, but since there's only the two of you, I'll have to reschedule it. Expect a mandatory class soon, though, so we can talk that over."

_Class trips, huh… We haven't gone further than outside the city since the beginning of the year, but if Ms. Yoshida has plans to organize an event of a bigger scale, it could be interesting…_ The detective thought as the former Ultimate Lucky Student took out a keychain from her bag. "I see."

"So, what do the two of you wanna do this afternoon?" Yuki asked as she walked to a locker at the back of the classroom. "I have some board games if you want. One of my colleagues lent me a Nintendo 64 her class had been playing with, so we can play that, too. Your call."

_A Nintendo 64… I believe this is a gaming console…_ Kyoko wondered before connecting the dots. _I seem to recall there is an Ultimate Gamer among our upperclassmen named Chiaki Nanami, so it makes sense the teacher for Class 77-B would have a gaming console, yes._

"Oh yeah! I'd totally be up for that!" turning her head slightly, Kyoko was surprised by Makoto's sudden enthusiasm as the boy bounced around with excitement. "What games do you have, Ms. Yoshida?"

_Makoto seems to enjoy the idea… I don't think I want to ruin his spirit if he wants to play video games that badly, so I guess I'll just go along… even if I don't know a thing about video games._

"I see you're excited, Makoto…" Yuki said from afar, shaking her head in amusement. "Let's see…" she began digging out a few game cartridges. "I have Mario Kart 64, Mario Party 3, and Super Smash Bros."

_What are these names…?_ Kyoko sweatdropped at the names given to these games, especially the last one. _Do all video games have ridiculous names such as 'Super Smash Bros'…?_

"Hm, do you play video games often, Kyoko?" Makoto asked her, managing to recompose himself from his enthusiasm. "Like in general, not particularly the ones Ms. Yoshida mentioned."

"No, I don't." the Ultimate Detective replied quickly and honestly. "Detective work does not allow me much time for side activities, so I'm afraid video games fall out of my field of expertise."

"Oh, well… I'll have to teach you, then!" the boy said proudly before adding to Yuki, "Since Kyoko isn't used to playing video games, I think we should play Mario Party, Ms. Yoshida!"

"Got it!" the teacher said and grabbed the console and the game in question. "Just let me plug it and link it to the TV, and then we'll start playing, alright?"

* * *

The two Ultimates and their teacher now sat in front of the TV screen. They each had a controller in hand, varying in colors. Makoto took the lead and set everything up once the console had been turned on, his experience with video games clearly showing to the Ultimate Detective. Kyoko wasn't surprised the lucky student had played lots of video games before in his childhood. He definitely seemed the type who'd spend their free time like an average boy, and from what she knew, video games were part of what average boys played the most.

As for Kyoko, it felt a little strange to discover a new thing all of a sudden, but she preferred to wait until they had played before making any judgments - just like she would with a suspect.

_Makoto is well the type to always be enthusiastic but considered how happy he was at the prospect of playing, I suppose this must be an enjoyable activity…_ The girl thought and quickly realized that the Ultimate Lucky Student wasn't the only one looking forward to playing.

In fact, Yuki looked as eager to get started as the boy was, which made Kyoko roll her eyes.

_Some people remain children for their entire life, it seems like…_ She held back a sigh when Makoto spoke up again.

"There, we can start," he said, as a list of names popped up on the screen. "Since you've never played before, Kyoko, I'll explain to you how the game works as we progress, okay?" seeing the detective nod, Makoto moved on. "Well, there are six boards we can play on, but since Kyoko is a beginner and I don't know about your experience with video games, Ms. Yoshida, I suggest we choose an easy one."

"Well, I have played Mario Party before, just not this one," Yuki explained. "But you're right, I think we should start off slow."

Since Kyoko didn't object, Makoto took that as his cue to continue his explanations. "Alright, so there are two boards with a low difficulty: Chilly Waters and Deep Bloober Sea. Does one appeal more to you than the other?"

_I see even the names within the game are as ridiculous as the name of the games themselves…_ The Ultimate Detective noticed and began to give Makoto's question some thought. _'Deep Bloober Sea' is definitely more ridiculous than 'Chilly Waters' so…_

"Chilly Waters?" Kyoko suggested and got a nod of approval from her teacher.

"Okay, Chilly Waters, it is," Makoto said and pressed a button on his controller, which made a loading screen appear. "So, to make it easy to understand, the goal of a game of Mario Party is to have the most stars out of all the players. You can do that by rolling the dice and getting your character on a Millennium Star Space and paying twenty coins." before Kyoko could ask how to get said coins, Makoto explained, "You can obtain coins by stopping on Blue Spaces, or by winning mini-games, among other rarer things."

"Mini-games? Do these happen automatically?" she asked and got a nod from her classmate. "I see…"

"Well, there are many other things to explain, but we'll see when we get there, okay?" the Ultimate Lucky Student said, with both Kyoko and Yuki nodding in agreement. "Great! Then we need to choose our characters now." he pressed a button on his controller, and a list of eight characters appeared. "You can do that by directing the joystick towards the character you want to choose," he did it himself with his controller and chose Mario. "just like this."

"Hm, okay." _Let's see… 'Donkey Kong?' 'Waluigi?' What the hell are these names…?_ She found pretty much everything silly - and they had not even begun yet - but Kyoko still chose, opting for Princess Daisy, one of the two playable girls. "I think I've chosen."

"Yeah, you did," Yuki said as she chose Yoshi. "Good luck to you two."

"Yeah, good luck, Ms. Yoshida!" Makoto said, beaming in amusement already, making the Ultimate Detective roll her eyes for the umpteenth time already. "And good luck to you, Kyoko!"

"U-Um… g-good luck…" _Great… That sounded really confident…_

* * *

" _And the winner is…"_ the three players got closer to the screen as Bowser announced the results. _"Mario!"_

"Yeaaaaaaaah! I've won!" Makoto exclaimed, standing up and pumping his fists in the air in happiness as the red plumber celebrated his victory over his opponents.

_I guess I lost, then._ Kyoko realized and sighed in disappointment. _I don't enjoy losing, but this is just a game, so I think this is fine. Though Makoto seems happy to have won…_

A recapitulative board appeared, showing that Makoto had collected seven stars to Kyoko's six - a close margin, which made the detective even more disappointed. Their teacher had been completely outmatched, only collecting two stars throughout the whole game, but they didn't hear her complain.

No, she just rolled her eyes at her student's happy celebration and spoke up to congratulate not only him but also the detective girl, "It appears I was no match for the two of you! Well played, you two, this was fun."

"Yeah, it really was! Well played, Kyoko, Ms. Yoshida!" Makoto said, calming down a tad.

"Same." the lavender-haired girl simply told her former opponents, handing her controller to their teacher. _The fact that I couldn't beat Makoto isn't that surprising when I think about it, with how much experience he has with games of this genre._ "I must say, though, I didn't expect to finish in second, ma'am."

"Oh, well… I guess my Ultimate Luck left me when I graduated, haha?" she said, turning the TV off and placing the controller back into the cardboard box she had taken them from. "No, more seriously, it had been a while since I had last played video games, and I think I got pretty unlucky with my dice, so defeat was inevitable, I'm afraid."

_Ultimate Luck leaving their possessor?_ Kyoko wondered, giving the only part that wasn't related to what she had initially said the most thought. _Does luck really work like that for Ultimate Lucky Students?_ She eyed Makoto discretely as the boy helped put the chairs they had sat on in place. "I see. Makoto was clearly too experienced for the two of us, and I believe I got better luck with my dice rolls than you did, yes."

Indeed, the current lucky student had completely dominated his classmate and his teacher during the mini-games, earning him a crazy amount of coins he had spent to buy stars. Kyoko had overall been lucky with the dice, landing on many Blue Spaces and Millennium Star Spaces when she needed to, hence why the final score had been so close.

Yuki didn't have so much luck - regardless of what her former title at Hope's Peak implied - and had continuously landed on Red Spaces, and the few times she'd been able to land on a Millennium Star Space, she didn't even have the twenty coins needed to buy the star!

Still, she appeared to have had fun, and while it maybe wasn't as apparent as it was for Makoto, Kyoko could see genuine happiness in her eyes. She figured it was most likely because one of her students had had a good time coming to her class.

_Even if these classes aren't what you'd expect before coming here…_ Kyoko thought, as she helped put the console back into its box. _If someone had told me I'd be playing video games during class when I came to Hope's Peak Academy… I don't think I would have believed them, quite frankly._

And most likely, rightfully so.

"Well, I'll have to give the console back soon, but I'm glad it found its use while I had it," Yuki said, going back to sit at her desk. "And while I expected Makoto to be there when I took it out of the closet, I didn't expect you to actually be there too, Kyoko."

"I didn't expect it either, ma'am," Kyoko replied with a grin. "But I suppose this introduced me to video games, as unexpected as it was for me." _I didn't expect to be playing video games when I decided to come to class earlier, but I suppose this was an enjoyable discovery. It was time better spent than not doing anything productive in my room, I guess..._

*driiiiiiing* *driiiiiiing*

"Hm? Oh, apologies, this is my cellphone." Kyoko said, recognizing the specific ringing of her mobile phone and taking the little device out. _I wonder who it could be…? I doubt this is Grandfather, so then it most likely is…_

"Don't worry, it's fine. I'm always on my phone, so I don't have any lessons to give to anyone, frankly." Yuki assured her, sighing. "Your boyfriend?"

The detective looked up from the screen of her phone and shot her teacher her customary Kirigiri glare that could make anyone quake in their boots. Yuki quickly held her hands up in surrender, wordlessly apologizing for the joke.

_This is some Kizakura level humor right there…_ The girl thought and turned her attention back to her cell. _Now let's see…_

" _To Detective Kyoko Kirigiri,_

_Your presence is expected at the district courthouse within the next two hours, as the trial of Masaru Konaka has been advanced to today. Prosecutor Mitsurugi Reiji will be waiting for you in the third prosecutorial lobby to discuss the case with you some more. You will most likely be called to testify after your senior, Keisuke Itonokogiri._

_I don't think I need to remind you of just how important this case is, Detective Kirigiri, and that a defeat in court today would cause many issues to the Tokyo Police Department and to the Prosecutor's Office._

_\- Chief of Police Kaiji Ganto."_

The Ultimate Detective sighed, opting to remain calm, even if the only thing she wanted was to throw her phone to the floor.

"Well… I'll have to be on my way, ma'am, Makoto," she said, putting her phone back in her pocket. "Something important has come up, and I am expected somewhere. Have a good day."

Kyoko bowed before hurrying out of the room before neither her classmate nor her teacher could say anything. She didn't bother with closing the door on her way out, either. The detective power-walked back to her room, and while she was frustrated that her superiors had warned her of this change of plans at the last minute, she couldn't be mad, for a reason she couldn't understand.

_Hm, first off… It's unfortunately not the first time the precinct has done that… I know this case is crucial in many ways, but this doesn't mean protocol has to be ignored… Well, I won't get a say in that, I'm afraid._

She sighed before accelerating a bit more once she reached the outside, passing by some of her classmates on the way - notably Junko and Mukuro, as well as Leon and Sayaka - but she didn't have time to interact with them.

Still, the reason she couldn't focus on the students she was passing by wasn't even the case she'd been assigned to testify in court for, but for something else entirely. In fact, it was for _someone_ else, entirely.

_Makoto, Makoto, Makoto… What do I make of you…?_ She wondered, subconsciously beginning to smile as she thought back to their shared game of Mario Party. _A classmate? Sure. An interesting classmate? Most definitely. The most interesting of my classmates? In all likelihood._

…

_My friend…?_

The face of a girl around her age, with short brown hair, red glasses and bowtie, and with her backpack always well-positioned over her dark-green jacket flashed through Kyoko's mind.

_A friend… Yeah, it's been a while… I guess I wouldn't mind a friend._

_Makoto Naegi… you're my… friend…_

* * *

The very next day, Kyoko was sipping her mug of Civet Coffee as she read on her phone the latest article about the trial she had testified in the day prior.

" _Demon Prosecutor gets back in the winning column; has young detective to thank for the easy guilty verdict."_

The Ultimate Detective didn't even crack a smile. The journalist who had written about the trial - one Shoutarou Hamigaki - praised her abilities at the witness stand and described how she had helped one of Tokyo's best prosecutors to win one of the most significant trials in a while in his article, but Kyoko didn't care.

_The more I appear on these foolish articles, the more exposure the Kirigiri name gets… And the more I destroy the secrecy Grandfather built…_ She sighed, taking a bigger sip of her coffee.

"Good morning, Kyoko!"

_Hm?_ "Oh, Makoto." the lavender-haired girl greeted the Ultimate Lucky Student now standing in front of her, his tray in hand. "Good morning."

"Can I sit with you?" the boy asked.

"Yes, sure." Kyoko put her phone away as Makoto pulled up the chair opposite to hers and sat down, setting his tray on the table. There was much more to eat than Kyoko ever thought she could eat for breakfast, but she was getting used to that. _I don't see Sayaka nor Leon anywhere, which is most likely why he came to me this morning…_

"So, did you had to do yesterday go well, Kyoko?" the boy wondered, smiling as he began eating his cereals. "You did leave in a hurry!"

"It did, yes. Thank you for asking." the detective replied, making sure to keep silent about what she had actually been doing. _Which might be silly, since my face is in the newspapers and that hundreds of people came to that trial…_ "And I apologize for leaving in such a hurry yesterday. I didn't mean to make it look like I wanted to leave you and Ms. Yoshida."

"Nah, it's okay, Kyoko!" Makoto assured her, his mouth full. After swallowing, he added, "I know you must have some important stuff to do! Though I found it really fun to play with you! I didn't expect you to make it that competitive when you had never played before!"

"Hm… This was as much as a surprise for me as it was for you if I'm being honest…" Kyoko told him, holding back an amused giggle. "But I suppose it was fun, yes…" _Even if the feeling is foreign…_

The lucky student smiled brightly at her as she said that. "I'm glad, Kyoko, really," he said kindly. "Would you be up for another round someday? With the others, perhaps?"

_Would I mind playing more video games with Makoto in the future…?_ The girl wondered though she made sure to think rapidly not to leave the boy hanging. "I wouldn't mind, but I doubt my schedule will allow it again any time soon." _And frankly… even if I've come to terms with the fact that Makoto's my friend… I don't feel like stepping out of my comfort zone quite yet…_

"Oh, that's too bad…" the boy seemed a little disheartened but quickly got a smile back on his face. "Well, it's fine; feel free to come and knock on my door if you ever want to play again!"

_Having a friend who wants you to have fun… is not a bad feeling._ "I'll keep it in mind," she said with a small smile as she took one last sip of her mug and stood up. "Well, I'll have to get going, unfortunately."

"O-Oh… I-I see… Will I see you in class, Kyoko?"

"I'm afraid not," Kyoko replied and winced when the boy's mood dampened. "I have important things to do, and I probably won't be able to come to class for a few days. Well, if you need to talk to me, feel free to send me a message on my e-handbook or come and see me in my dorm room. I can take a quick break if you have something to tell me. Actually…" Kyoko took out her handbook and fidgeted with it for a minute. "There, go read that message I sent you whenever you have time."

"H-Huh? S-Sure…"

"Goodbye, Makoto. Have a nice day."

"Y-Yeah, have a nice day, Kyoko! See you soon!" Makoto said, waving at the detective as she left the cafeteria, her long lavender-hair flowing beautifully in the air as she graciously made her way back to her dorm room.

And as she absent-mindedly walked on the campus of Hope's Peak Academy under the suspicious looks of the Reserve Course students, Kyoko Kirigiri smiled for once. Knowing that there was someone out there who cared for her, not as the Ultimate Detective, but as Kyoko… It made her glad she had accepted the lucky student as her friend.

_You'll never be Yui, and I don't want you to. But having a friend for the first time in so many years… makes me feel more alive than ever._

_So yeah… thanks, Makoto._

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N: I hope you liked this chapter, and how Kyoko realized Makoto had become her friend! We're halfway done with this story now, and now that they're friends, we'll focus on how Kyoko fell in love for Makoto - leading us to Chapter Seven of AOH! As usual, please leave a comment, and I hope you have a good day!
> 
> PS: I don't know if there are any Ace Attorney fans reading my stories, but if there are, I hope you got the reference I put in there!! ^^


	6. Realities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoko officially begins her investigation of Hope's Peak Academy. She struggles with her feelings until the calming presence of one of her classmates can put a smile back on her face.

**_Chapter Six: Realities_ **

"I would like to ask you some questions regarding Hope's Peak Academy. More precisely, about this school's secrets." Kyoko said as she stood straight in front of the Headmaster's desk.

"Hope's Peak's secrets, you say?" Jin echoed before he and Kizakura exchanged a confused look. "Could you please elaborate further, Kyoko? I'm afraid I don't quite follow."

_Remain calm… remain calm…_ The detective chanted to herself like a mantra, as she honestly just wanted to snap at the Principal for his lack of usefulness. Somehow, she managed to keep her calm and instead opted to ask more questions to get the answers she wanted.

"I've read into Hope's Peak Academy's financial accounts, and I'll admit I was a little surprised when I noticed just how much money this school was generating…" she sent her genitor a suspicious look. "Is there any chance you can enlighten me as to why this is…?"

"O-Oh… hm… I don't actually have access to Hope's Peak financial records, so…" the man paused, looking sorry to his daughter. "Sorry, Kyoko, but I cannot answer your question."

"Not that I was expecting you to…" Kyoko muttered and honestly didn't care whether the Headmaster had heard her or not. "Moving on-"

"A moment, please?" Kizakura interrupted her, raising his hand to get the two Kirigiris' attention.

"What is it, Koichi?" Jin asked, looking to his close friend sitting on the couch. "I don't believe you could answer Kyoko's question, either…"

"No, I certainly can't, but… Ms. Kirigiri, how did you even get your hands on the financial records when good old Jin and I can't?" the scout asked while his friend's eyes widened in realization. "We honestly wouldn't mind learning a trick or two!"

"Hm, yes, Koichi is right. I am relatively surprised you managed to access these documents, Kyoko." Jin concurred, adopting a thinking pose similar to his daughter's customary pensive stance.

"Hmph, it seems I have more rights within this school than the Headmaster himself…" the detective sighed funnily, smirking at the two men. "The Ultimate Detective has more tricks up her sleeve than you'd like to believe, Kizakura, Headmaster."

_And by that, I simply mean that my status as a detective grants me access to the files, nothing more…_ Kyoko kept that to herself, feeling that she could do well with a card up her hand. _Though I've since long realized that these two will not get in my way… at least not willingly…_

"Yeah, I should know better than to underestimate the heir to the good name of the Kirigiri line of detectives…!" Koichi said as he took out his bottle from his inside pocket. Seeing the harsh glare he received from the girl and the disapproving look he got from his friend, he quickly apologized, "S-Sorry! C'mon, it was just a little joke! Geez…"

"Moving on…" Kyoko said, seeing how they wouldn't advance if she continued to give Kizakura's antics so much attention. "Headmaster, you truly do not have any idea as to why Hope's Peak might be pulling in so many funds…? I personally find that hard to believe."

"No, Kyoko, I truly don't," Jin replied, and the Ultimate Detective was surprised to hear so much honesty in his voice. "I get to decide how the budget is allocated, but I am not aware of the finances. Basically, I spend the money I'm given, but I have no hand in choosing how much the school gets to spend." the Principal sighed. "Honestly… There might even be budget allocations I'm not aware of…"

_He means to say he has no control over how the school spends and receives its money…?_ "W-Wait a second… If you don't deal with the financial aspects… then who does? The Steering Committee?"

"Indeed." Jin nodded, resting his head on his hands. "I have little to no power compared to them, and that's been the case ever since I became Headmaster. They manage the school's incomes, and they can pretty much overrule any decision I take, regarding students, for example. It was hard enough to convince them to continue to accept Ultimate Lucky Students, so I'm trying not to enter debates with them too often, you see?"

_I should have known they had something to do with the discrepancies in these financial records… And they also didn't want any more Ultimate Lucky Students? To say I almost missed my only friend because of them…_ The girl mused and noticed the smile on Kizakura's face. "Might I know what makes you smile, Kizakura?"

"Oh, nothing." the talent scout sweetly said, tipping his hat to her. "I'm just impressed with how serious you look. I truly chose the right Ultimate Detective when I scouted you."

_Don't tell me about it…_ A headache came to Kyoko as she recalled Koichi's scouting of her and how annoying the blonde had been back then. _I swear, the world hasn't seen more annoying than Koichi Kizakura!_

"Anyway, I'm sorry I can't be of any more help to you, Kyoko," Jin told his daughter, looking genuinely sorry. "I will make sure to send you every document I have regarding the part of the budget I manage, in case it can help you."

"It's fine, do not worry," Kyoko assured him, a small smile on her face. "I have no doubt you did your best, and I would indeed appreciate every document related to this school's budget and finances."

The two men's eyes widened in surprise. The Principal smiled while his old friend looked at him, the confusion evident on his face.

"N-Never mind, do we even have the right Ultimate Detective right now?" the scout asked, gaping as he looked at the lavender-haired girl. Kyoko, even with her great intuition, was unable to understand why. "What have you done to the ever stoic and cold-hearted Kyoko Kirigiri?! Give her back, you impostor!"

A laugh concluded that sentence, causing the detective to sigh and her father to sweatdrop.

"Koichi…" Jin rolled his eyes but nonetheless giggled a bit. "Leave my daughter, will you?" he asked him with a small smile.

_I'd prefer that, indeed…_ The girl in question thought. _Some things will never change, and these two's idiocy is part of that, it seems…_

"Hey Jin, you should be happier! Your girl must have found a lover if she's such a good mood!" Kizakura said, taking a sip of his alcoholic drink. "That's reason enough to celebrate if you want my opinion!"

_I'm out of here…_ Kyoko mused, getting frustrated - which threatened to ruin the good mood the scout was talking about. "If the two of you are quite done with your foolishness, I have an investigation to attend to." she gave them her Kirigiri stare before bowing only out of respect for the position of Headmaster her father held. "Have a nice day."

And without waiting for either adult to actually be able to answer, the girl left the Principal's office on her way back to her dorm.

* * *

_Alright, so that's everything I'll need…_ The detective told herself as she finished collecting what she needed before she could head to the Steering Committee. _I don't know if I'll need these, but you can never be too sure, especially when you want to get an answer to thorny questions._

Kyoko left her dorm room, making sure to close the door on her way out. She held documents she would prefer to keep to herself, and not getting robbed while she was absent was a great way not to lose them. And so, after safely pocketing the key, the detective got going to the Steering Committee building, where they probably wouldn't be glad to see her.

Though Kyoko couldn't care less, honestly. She had a job to do, and she'd use every trick in the book to get her answers. _This school is fishy, and for more than one reason… Why does Hope's Peak Academy have such finances when their expected revenue is lower than that…? And if they generate so much money… then what do they spend it on…?_

These two questions weighed on Kyoko's mind as she walked. The detective began her investigation cluelessly, and every piece of an answer she would get would be welcome.

_This is probably the beginning of a long-lasting investigation…_ Kyokosighed. As the Ultimate Detective, she was getting used to quick work, and an investigation dragged on for too long was, in her book, poorly conducted. _And I'll need to stay focused all throughout if I want to achieve results. An Ultimate Academy… will require an Ultimate Investigation._

As she aimed for the building the Steering Committee had its gatherings in, Kyoko's mind couldn't help but think back to the discussion she had had with her father and his friend Koichi. They had been pretty much useless in terms of info, but something else made her wonder.

_I have this unpleasant feeling that they'll always be a dead-end whenever I need information, but what Kizakura said troubles me… He said I was in a good mood, but… was that true? Okay, perhaps I didn't snap at him when he mocked my family name, and I didn't either when he suggested I could have a lover - a ridiculous thought... What's wrong with me?!_

Realizing she had been too passive to her liking, Kyoko frowned discontentedly, bothered by the fact that she did not know the why of the matter. She was about to begin an investigation that promised not to be a pleasant one, and she had this nagging feeling that there was much more to Hope's Peak Academy than met the eye.

_Let's see… what I have done today that could have gotten me in such a good mood…?_ She wondered before she began to list in her mind everything she had done since waking up. _I woke up, grabbed a quick bite for breakfast, and declined Hina's invitation for a shopping trip while I was in the cafeteria, then I studied my notes about Hope's Peak a little more in my room before I went to the Headmaster's office…_

_Wait. When I went to the Headmaster's office…_

The dots connected, and it made Kyoko smile. Though in that smile, there was also a good deal of questions left unanswered, and the Ultimate Detective wouldn't have that.

_Makoto. The reason I'm in such a good mood is because of my encounter with Makoto earlier when he came out of class._ She recalled, beginning with how the lucky student had almost run into her, with how absent-minded he could sometimes be. _And *he* seemed to be in a good mood too, although I suppose this is much more frequent for him…_

Kyoko sighed. She knew herself more than anyone, and she definitely knew that while she was not unhappy, she clearly didn't appear as happy as the boy was. But that was slightly changing, and this was all thanks to the Ultimate Lucky Student.

_He's kind, and this is relieving. I still can't understand why I befriended him, and there are still moments I think I'm going crazy for allowing this to happen, but …_ The detectivestopped in front of the door to the Steering Committee building. _You've been the first one to care for me since Yui, and that means a lot to me. You didn't deserve the coldness which I addressed you with, but I know my ego as a detective will make me unable to apologize._

_But you have my apologies, Makoto, just so you know. I want to blame myself for becoming soft around you, but I can't. You're worth more than that, I believe._

The detective gathered her resolve and tightened her grip on the files she held before pushing the door open.

_And if you are as lucky as your title implies… then please lend me some of your luck right now. I feel like talent alone isn't going to cut it this time._

* * *

To make sure the four members of the Steering Committee understood she wasn't there to waste her time, Kyoko entered their office without knocking, instead opting to enter without warning.

They had not been pleased, that was an understatement, but Kyoko didn't back down. One of them asked her to leave immediately, or else she would be removed by security, but the Ultimate Detective would have none of that, as she smirked.

"I'm not too sure about that, sir." she grinned, opening her file and pulling out a single sheet of paper for now. "You will answer a few questions, then I'll remove myself from this office. Does that seem possible?"

"Remove that mocking smile from your face and leave this office, Kyoko Kirigiri!" one of the men, the one with the long grey hair, said threateningly. "This is the Steering Committee; not some kind of administration you can enter however you want! Leave immediately, or you will be expelled!"

If only they knew how little that scared her… "Expelled, you say? Hmph, I don't care about this school's fame in the slightest, so don't expect this threat to work on me, sir. No, instead, I suggest you listen to what I have to say and answer my questions, understood?"

The detective turned the paper she was holding around so they could clearly see it, and their angry expressions suddenly turned way more sympathetic.

_Ah, some good old blackmailing over scandals…_ Kyoko would have laughed if she didn't have better to do, but the intention was there. "Good, I see you're willing to listen. Ah, what wouldn't upright citizens like you do to ensure the skeletons in their closets actually remain in their closets, right?"

"To the point, Kyoko Kirigiri." said the one with the grey beard, though his threatening expression didn't faze Kyoko at all.

_They're right. Taunting these guys is amusing, but I have better things to do…_ She thought and filed the compromising document back in her folder. "Very well. I've come to ask you about Hope's Peak Academy's finances if it is not too much of a bother. I've tried asking the Headmaster about it, but he was utterly useless in providing answers, so I thought I'd come here to have a little chat, and possibly, some answers."

"We do not have to discuss finances with a student, whatever their title might be." the slightly tanned man spoke up, appearing calmer than his colleagues. "Besides, finances are confidential, even for the Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy… or his daughter."

"Hm…" Kyoko brought her hand to her chin in thought. "Accused of fraudulent deals that plunged tens of families into poverty when you ran your own company, you bribed a judge to win a not guilty verdict… It would be bad for your reputation and that of this _great_ institution if people were to find out, right?"

The man grumbled in frustration before giving in. "Grr… Fine! We'll answer your questions!"

None of the three others objected to that, which made Kyoko want to sigh in relief. But she had to keep it to herself, not wanting to show any signs that she might have been worried her taunting wouldn't work.

"Good. Now, I have here a report on this school's finances, and the lack of accountability notwithstanding, I'd like to say some points left me skeptical." Kyoko said and produced another document. "Now, I understood Hope's Peak Academy received public funds from the government, as well as some private investments… However… they do not match with the school's incomes. How come?"

The four men glanced at each other, seemingly unsure of who was to speak right now. Kyoko knew her question was straightforward, and she expected their answer to be, too. Frankly, she suspected something shady to be going on within the school - even if she had no idea what it could be - and if she had doubts about her suspicions…

Let's just say she didn't have them anymore. _They are hiding something, most definitely. Now, what I want to know is what exactly they are hiding, and why…_

*cough* "An answer, please?" the Ultimate Detective spoke up again, after a long period of silence. "I doubt any of us here has anything to gain from wasting our time."

Begrudgingly, the one with the grey beard spoke up after the longest time and gave an answer, "The Reserve Course." they simply said. Kyoko's eyes widened a little, and she perked up in interest. Seeing she wanted to know more, the man added, "Their tuition fees. That's how Hope's Peak Academy gathers the remaining revenue."

_Well, isn't that something…_ The violet-eyed girl thought, only half-surprised at the development their discussion had taken. "This is a rather high tuition fee, is it not?" _Not many families would be able to afford fees like this…_

"This is Hope's Peak Academy, girl, not a random high school in which anybody is free to enter however they want." the overweight man said, speaking for the first time. "Even among talentless students, Hope's Peak can only welcome elites. That's why it makes us sick to have a student such as this Makoto Naegi in this fine institution and not get a single cent out of his family! You will remind the Headmaster that students like this boy are harming the fine reputation of this school!"

These words put Kyoko on edge. She knew they usually wouldn't have, but it angered her nonetheless. It wasn't hard for her to pinpoint why, though. "I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut," she said, closing her eyes, only to open them again, showcasing fury. "No-good criminals like you have absolutely no lessons to give to anyone, and especially not to someone like Makoto Naegi!"

Her Kirigiri stare made the room go silent. _Makoto is my only friend… and I won't let you mock him!_ She swore, glaring at each of the four men with growing anger. _I found the comfort of someone wanting to be my friend… and I can't let anyone disrespect that!_

After a silence that was getting too long, Kyoko turned around, her head out of her investigation for now. A cold and threatening "You haven't heard the last of me." was the last thing she said as she exited the office, her former good mood thrown away and instead replaced by fury.

* * *

The cool breeze as she stepped outside helped Kyoko regain some calm after her altercation with the Steering Committee. She didn't like being angry for the simple reason that it made her lose focus on her work. Luckily for her, the times she actually snapped at someone were few and far between.

But there were still times it happened, and today was the best example. Kyoko had not expected to get _that_ angry, but she felt it was justified. _Perhaps I'm not too used to friendship quite yet, but… I feel like that's what I had to do. That's most likely ridiculous, but especially coming from them… it angers me just to think about it._

Keeping her head up as she headed back to her dorm room, Kyoko spotted someone in the distance, rolling her eyes at the coincidence. She fastened her pace and quickly caught up to her classmate, who seemed to be daydreaming… again!

_He seems at peace… Good for him._ The girl smiled. "Makoto? Earth to Makoto Naegi once more?"

"A-Ah!" he turned around and noticed the lavender-haired detective standing behind him, a rare but genuine smile on her lips. "K-Kyoko, stop doing that! Geez, can't a boy daydream from time to time…?"

"Apologies, Makoto." _He'll really run into someone someday if he keeps at it…_ Kyoko thought as she got on Makoto's right and walked alongside him. "You seem to be doing well, if not even better than when I met you at noon."

The boy widely smiled as he replied, "Yeah, I spent the afternoon with Sayaka and Leon, and it was a lot of fun!" he explained, and as almost always, become more passionate, and no one could stop him. "We went to the game room and played for a few hours, we chatted, and all. And guess what!"

"Hm, what?" the Kirigiri detective said, unable to figure out anything from _just_ that. _I genuinely don't know what to expect with Makoto… he's definitely not a source of boredom…!_

"Well, Sayaka and Leon bet on a game of pinball, and now Sayaka has to dye her hair red!" the Ultimate Lucky Student explained and got Kyoko to react in surprise. "I don't know what got into them that they decided to bet on something as silly as that, and I realize I did well not to participate…"

"Hm, yes, I suppose you did." _What kind of games do these three play, anyway?! Tomorrow's not the day someone catches me betting on my hair!_ Kyoko thought, subconsciously brought her long lavender hair over her left shoulder protectively. "I am especially surprised that Sayaka got into that bet, considering her talent is centered around her image."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too, but she told me she just thought it was fun and that it'd give the magazines something to talk about," Makoto explained, shrugging. "I guess she's right about that."

"Yes, this is also true," she told him, before walking in comfortable silence, with only the light chatting of the Reserve Course students in the background and the singing of the birds reaching their ears. _It feels good to relax after what happened with the Steering Committee…_ Kyoko thought, not discontent with the peace and quiet.

Kyoko was still getting used to smiling, but it honestly wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Obviously, she couldn't smile in front of suspects during interrogations or trials, but in a more casual setting, she was learning it wasn't so bad.

Though her smile quickly turned into a grin. She thought back to what she and Makoto had been talking about, amusing her. Well, more so, _who_ they had been talking about.

"While we're there, Makoto… any luck with Sayaka?" the detective asked, giving him a playful smirk as she did so. "I can't say I am an expert in loving matters, but you seem to get closer to Sayaka by the second…"

The boy immediately blushed a bright shade of red before stuttering a response, "N-No! T-That's not it!"

"That's not… it…?" Kyoko echoed, trying to show just how much she didn't believe a word of what the lucky student had said. "Makoto… you… you do know that I'm the Ultimate Detective and that a pathetic lie like this won't ever work on me… right?"

_I mean… I'm not sure anyone could buy such a lie with the stuttering and the blush on your face right now…_

The boy looked down at his sneakers, obviously too embarrassed to say anything. Kyoko rolled her eyes before speaking up to comfort him, "You don't need to worry about me telling anyone anything, Makoto. Well, first off, I think the entire world knows how close you and Sayaka have gotten, and secondly, I honestly have better to do with my time than spreading average gossip about my classmates."

She thought it might have been too blunt for an attempt to save someone from his embarrassment, but to her defense, this wasn't something she was used to. _Besides… why should I care if one of my classmates is getting close to another one of my classmates?_ She wondered, dismissing the idea. _Makoto might be the only person I've allowed myself to befriend, but what he does is his business and his business only…_

… _right?_

*cough* "Yeah… Hm, moving on…" the lucky student changed the subject and met no opposition from Kyoko as he did so. "What have _you_ been up to since I met you before going to eat? Most likely, you've been absorbed in your detective work, yeah?"

"Correct," Kyoko replied, and at first, decided to leave it at that. She quickly realized this was a pretty underwhelming answer and thus decided to give him a few more details, "An investigation I am currently conducting. As I told you when we chatted earlier in the halls, my work is time-consuming, and I only rarely find time to spend doing anything else. But I will try to hold my promise to come to class more often."

"I'm glad to hear that, Kyoko," Makoto said with a small and supportive smile. "I don't have a talent, so I don't really know what it means to work on your talent, but I'm sure it must be harder than it looks."

"Well… not really." she disagreed, before explaining, "Working on my talent isn't the issue, Makoto. I _am_ the Ultimate Detective and for a good reason. My training has been over for a long time now. The reason it is so time-consuming is that there is much for me to do, as a detective."

Indeed, Kyoko knew her worth, and she knew the title of Ultimate meant you were the best at what you did (with a few exceptions). Considering the amount of work she had produced during her training, she knew she was the best detective there was, at least until proven otherwise. It wasn't arrogance, simply lucidity.

"O-Oh, I see…" this caught Makoto a little off-guard, at least from what she could notice. "Well, good luck with your work, anyway."

"Thank you," Kyoko replied politely, then smiled at the boy. "Though good luck is supposed to be your thing, is it not?"

She heard him mutter an "if only…" that made her giggle. And in fact, the detective kept that happy smile on her lips all the way back to the dorms, and ever after splitting ways with the Ultimate Lucky Student and getting back to her work.

_Why am I smiling?_ Kyoko suddenly wondered, stopping what she was doing. _Makoto can't be the reason I'm still smiling… can he?_

Unable to focus on her work now that this question hung on her mind, Kyoko filed her paperwork away, opting to get back to it once she'd be more focused. If she were to ask herself questions, then she would rather not have anything disturbing her - her detective work included.

_He got me in a good mood when I met him in the halls earlier, and I snapped at the Steering Committee when they mocked him… And even after that… he was the one to brighten my mood when I was furious…_

Realizing she had come across another thing of note about who the class was starting to nickname 'the Luckster', Kyoko took out her notes about her classmates and quickly flipped it open to Makoto Naegi's page.

On it were written things like _"Foolish at times, but kind"_ ; _"A friend, as hard to believe as it might be"_ ; or _"Is obviously in love with Sayaka."_

The lavender-haired girl took her pen and wrote: _"The biggest enigma of them all, and one I'm more than looking forward to solving."_

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! It was very interesting for me to write about the beginnings of Kyoko's investigation of Hope's Peak, as well as how her friendship with Makoto fits in all this. Please leave a comment, and until then, have a nice day! ^^


	7. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Class 78th is called to class for an unknown reason, Kyoko realizes someone's been in her shoes before... but did better than she could have ever dreamed of.

**_Chapter Seven: Secrets_ **

The students filed in, most of them with surprised looks as they tried to understand why they had been called to a mandatory class this morning. Yuki entered last and closed the door, just as Kyoko went to the desk she usually took, next to Makoto.

"Alright, everyone, sit down!" the teacher said as she went to her desk and sat down. "You're probably wondering why I've called you to class, right?"

 _Indeed… There was no explanation in the message we've received…_ Kyoko thought, recalling receiving their teacher's message as she was about to begin working on her files. _I hope this will be important enough to justify running late on my work…_

Seeing most of the class nod, Yuki continued. "Well, one of your classmates has something to tell you all and will do so now. I ask you to remain silent, or you'll get one hour of detention, okay?"

At least a dozen pairs of eyes widened in surprise as their teacher said that, definitely not used to the young woman resorting to potential sanctions to keep quiet in her class. Kyoko wasn't one of them, though she was surprised by this development.

 _That… was unexpected._ The Ultimate Detective mused, looking over to her left and seeing Makoto being as surprised as she was. _I didn't plan on interrupting whatever was about to take place, but I know some others might have…_

The lavender-haired girl cast a quick glance towards Junko and Byakuya, the most likely candidates for interrupting whoever was about to talk. The Ultimate Affluent Progeny was known for being uninterested by pretty much everything, and he often worded his boredom. On the other hand, the fashionista - contrary to her very silent sister - was _always_ loud, most often to mock people.

 _I have to admit it would be amusing to see Byakuya get detention._ Kyoko thought but focused back on the teacher as Yuki spoke up again.

"Okay, ready, sweetie?" she asked, smiling at Chihiro at the back of the classroom. "Show your classmates what you're made of!"

"Y-Yes, Ms. Yoshida!" the programmer weakly nodded before standing up, under her classmates' scrutiny.

She took small and unsure steps as Kyoko began to wonder, _What the hell does Chihiro has to tell us we all needed to be here…?_ The detective glanced once again on her left, expecting to see Makoto as surprised, if not even more. But she was even more surprised when he merely nodded in understanding.

"Makoto?" she called out to him with a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what is going on?"

"I… have a pretty good idea." the Luckster said, turning back to the board as Chihiro made her way there. "Chances are, I'm right…"

"Hm…" _I'm clearly curious now… It seems Makoto is privy to some info I'm not._

"G-Good morning, e-everyone…" the petite programmer stuttered as a greeting. "I-I'm sorry for making you all c-come here when you probably had better things to do, but…" she stopped, taking a deep breath as Yuki gave her a thumbs-up. "I-I have something important to tell you a-about myself…"

 _About herself…?_ Kyoko echoed in her mind, trying to make sense of what her classmate was saying. _I never found any secret about Chihiro when I searched it up, so perhaps she had one she hid well?_

The Ultimate Detective was speculating, and she knew how bad this was for a detective. Thus, she kept her guesses to herself and listened to the Ultimate Programmer closely.

"B-Basically…" Chihiro fiddled with the bow of her jacket. Another breath, this time even deeper. "You've known me as a girl since the beginning of the year, but… in reality, I am a boy."

"…" the whole class fell silent for a long moment, and around half of Class 78th was left stunned and gaping at the sudden reveal. Kyoko herself was surprised, but what surprised her the most was that on her left, Makoto wasn't at all! Instead, he simply smiled at the programmer, with visibly lots of pride for his classmate.

Looking around the classroom some more during the long moment of silence, the detective noticed Hina, Sakura, Taka, Hifumi, and Mondo with the same smiles on their faces.

 _So it appears like they already knew… Chihiro probably told them once in class while the rest of us weren't there…_ She realized and adopted her thinking pose. _This is a surprise… I would never have expected one of my classmates to-_

"Puhuhuhuhuhu… Oh, that's the fuckin' best! Man, I didn't expect a crossdresser to be among us! Puhuhu, way to go, Chihiro! It'd been a while since I had last laughed like that! You go, girl! Well, I guess not, but you know what I mean! Puhuhuhuhu…"

The whole class turned towards the Ultimate Fashionista, who was cackling crazily at her desk, struggling to compose herself. The fifteen others, plus the teacher, were silent, unable to say anything as they just stared at the strawberry blonde.

 _As I thought… There are times I would love to be wrong, and this is one of them…_ Kyoko thought, shaking her head in disgust. _Junko Enoshima, just how bad-mannered are you…?_

After the silence, though, came the time for the students to be shocked. But this time... they expressed with words - and for some, actions.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU BITCH?!" Mondo roared, getting up from his seat and knocking his desk over in the process. "YOU'RE LUCKY TO BE A GIRL OR I WOULD HAVE BROKEN YOUR FACE!"

"Such cruel words are unfitting of a school environment!" Taka exclaimed, also standing up and pointing accusingly at the fashionista. "I expect apologies for our classmate!"

Kyoko sighed at the development she had unfortunately been forced to consider and which she dreaded. It wasn't her role to put an end to it - not that she really could - but she would have liked it to be over as soon as possible. She looked over to Chihiro, who began to sob. Even the Ultimate Detective took pity on the programmer.

"Grr… How can Junko be so mean?!" Makoto wondered, grumbling in slight anger. "Poor Chihiro found the courage to tell the rest of the class of her secret, and she ruins it all!"

Sayaka, on the boy's right, gave a nod of agreement, as did Kyoko. _To reveal such a secret… must require a lot of strength…_ She quickly looked at her hands. W _hich I seem to be lacking, apparently._

Realizing it was selfish to think of herself when one of her classmates - one Kyoko didn't dislike, actually - was being insulted, she turned back to the action. She wasn't so surprised when Yuki next spoke up.

"Junko Enoshima…" she began, her eyes closed, and it wasn't so hard to know why. "I said that whoever would break the silence would get an hour of detention, but now… I think this requires a little more than an hour of detention. I am considering asking Headmaster Kirigiri for a one-week suspension or three hours of detention for you every day until further notice."

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Junko immediately exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. "Hey, c'mon, I just said what I thought, no need to get mad!"

"You're digging deeper and deeper, Enoshima. Better shut that mouth of yours before you say something you'll regret." Byakuya said, chipping in with a look of disgust on his face. "I already can't stand commoners quarreling, but trash like you isn't even worth a commoner…"

"HEY! Who're you calling trash?!" the fashionista demanded, also standing up from her chair. Byakuya looked at her with unimpressed eyes. " _You_ 're trash, Togami!"

"Watch what you say, plebian." the affluent progeny said calmly, readjusting his glasses and getting up. His height made him stand over the girl with disdain, and for once, Kyoko wasn't complaining. "Know your place and who you're talking to."

"Sit right back down, Byakuya." now, it was Mukuro's turn to step in, as she placed herself in front of her sister, threateningly looking at the Togami heir.

And of course, in a chain reaction, it was now Toko's turn to defend her beloved. "H-Hey, m-move away f-from M-Master, you pig!" the Ultimate Writing Prodigy said, pointing at the soldier. "Y-You have n-no right to talk t-to him l-like this!"

"ENOUGH!"

 _A-Aaaah!_ Kyoko - and pretty much everyone - jumped in surprise at the shout. They quickly understood where it had come from, and after turning back to Chihiro and the teacher by her side, they were even more surprised to see Yuki Yoshida about to explode.

"YOU ALL SIT DOWN AND LISTEN WELL, UNDERSTOOD?!" the young woman said, her eyes filling with fury as she stood up from her chair and glared at the class. "Never have I seen such immature behavior! Be ashamed of yourselves! I'm giving the sixteen of you three hours of detention tomorrow afternoon, and I better not hear a complaint! Do I make myself clear?!"

 _W-Woah! What was that for?!_ Kyoko wondered, taken aback by the collective sanction they were receiving, as well as Yuki's complete 180. They all remained silent, too stunned to mutter a single word. Chihiro - still near the board - was shaking.

"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" she repeated, her voice going up another notch.

"Y-Yes…" they hesitantly replied, Kyoko herself struggling to keep her calm, even with the experience she had.

"YES, MA'AM! I'M YOUR TEACHER, NOT YOUR FRIEND!" Ms. Yoshida ordered and glared at them individually.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" the class said in unison, none of them wanting to try Yuki right now.

 _That… was a complete change…_ The Ultimate Detective realized as a tense silence filled the room. _But I suppose it was bound to happen one day or the other with people like Junko around…_

The teacher sighed to calm herself down and sat back down. "Now… Apologies, Chihiro, but go back to your seat."

Kyoko quickly noted the lack of a nickname when the teacher addressed the Ultimate Programmer, another sign of her anger. Chihiro bowed slightly before doing what she was told. Once Chihiro was seated once again, with Mondo wrapping a protective arm around the programmer, Yuki continued.

"I am extremely disappointed in all of you." the young woman said, her voice lower but as angry as it had been just before. "Chihiro finds the courage to tell her secret to those who didn't know yet... And how do you react? By nearly brawling in class?! What the hell are you thinking?!"

No one said anything.

"You've fallen in my esteem, Class 78th. Don't think that because you're Ultimates, you can do whatever you want, got it?" the brown-haired woman told them. "I expect a reaction out of you, or the kind Ms. Yoshida you've known might not be kind for very long. Class is dismissed."

 _This is probably for the best…_ The lavender-haired girl thought as she stood up and followed Makoto out of the room. _Some authority might be just what was needed to put some of our classmates back in their place…_

"Junko, Mukuro, Byakuya, and Toko, don't leave yet." Kyoko heard Yuki say as she came out. "Out of the twelve others, whoever leaves last closes the door. And if I see one person listening through the door…"

She left that threat unfinished, and the detective realized it was already threatening enough for everyone to understand…

_I managed to befriend Makoto, and I've gotten closer to Hina and Sakura… but after this… I'm not sure I'll ever want to reveal my secret…_

* * *

The twelve students stood there, with no one having the right words to describe what had just happened. Still, they all realized that closing the door had been absolutely useless since their teacher had yelled so loudly - and had probably been heard from so far away - they'd probably get a visit from the Headmaster soon to get an explanation.

The end result - since they had all heard it - were five more hours of detention for Byakuya, Toko, and Mukuro, while Junko got ten more and a reprimand in her student file. Severe, perhaps, but not unearned, Kyoko thought.

The four missing Ultimates came out of the classroom in silence. The Kirigiri detective caught a glance of their homeroom teacher, who was red as a tomato from her anger but didn't dare stare inside. Byakuya looked shaken up, though he kept his head high. Toko seemed on the brink of tears. Mukuro had a humble expression on her face, though she did seem slightly fazed.

Lastly, Junko came out with an apologetic look in her eyes. It took Kyoko a second and a half to notice it was fake, and for her to be angered by it.

 _I'm beginning to dislike this girl even more than her sister…_ The lavender-haired girl thought, not bothering to look her way. Makoto, Hina, Sayaka, Mondo, and Taka were with Chihiro, trying to console the programmer, and Kyoko headed there instead.

_I'd like to have a word with Chihiro, too…_

The Ultimate Biker Gang Leader patted his programmer friend on the shoulder as the group dispersed, leaving Chihiro to recompose. Kyoko used that opportunity to go and chat with her.

"Chihiro." she addressed the petite programmer who turned around in surprise.

"A-Aaah! K-Kyoko!" Chihiro shivered in fear, wrapping her arms around herself. "W-What is it…?"

 _It seems I have frightened Chihiro…_ "My apologies. Scaring you wasn't my intention." Kyoko said in a kinder tone, smiling a bit and giving a small bow of apology. "I just wondered if it was possible to speak to you for a minute."

"O-Oh… hm… y-yes, of course… W-What is it…?" the Ultimate Programmer asked still pretty weakly.

The Ultimate Detective took a deep breath before replying, "It's about what happened in class and what you've revealed." seeing Chihiro nod, she continued. "I have several questions, actually. First, I'd like to know how I am to refer to you. I suppose you have a preference?"

"Oh, about that…" Chihiro seemed way calmer already, probably because Kyoko made clear she didn't want to bother her. "I've… gotten used to being referred to as a girl, and for your convenience, I think it's better you continue to refer to me as a girl, but if you want to refer to me as a boy, I won't be mad. It's… my fault for keeping this secret to me for so long."

"Hm, you are not to blame for keeping a secret, Chihiro." the lavender-haired girl told her classmate. "I will try to remember that, however. Apologies in advance if I make a mistake in the future."

"N-No, it's fine!" the programmer said with a light blush on her cheeks. "But it's really kind of you to ask that. Some… haven't been this kind to me…"

"Do not pay Junko any mind," Kyoko advised, her smile disappearing as she referred to the blonde. "Her input is without any worth, and while I still doubt this will make her fundamentally change, I think she'll leave you alone. I digress, but please keep this in mind."

"I-I will…!"

"Good. Then, what I wanted to ask you was… what made you decide you wanted to tell someone your secret? I don't suppose you did this out of the blue?"

"Hm, not really… In fact…" Chihiro's eyes began to shine in happiness as she spoke. "I wanted to prove to myself that I could be stronger and that I could face my hardships head-on. Hiding something like this for so long… it made me realize just how weak I was, so I decided to become stronger, and admitting my secret to everyone was the first step."

Kyoko listened closely, taking her classmate's words in and trying to give them meaning. _How… does that help me with my own past struggles…?_ She wondered though she kept an ear open to listen to the programmer.

"Junko was mean to me… and it saddens me a lot, but…" a sob rolled on her cheek, and while it appeared to be a sob of sadness at first… the Ultimate Detective quickly understood it was one of joy when Chihiro continued, "To know that I have all my friends to support me… It makes me feel stronger on its own. Even Byakuya kind of defended me and my secret…"

 _Indeed… I wouldn't have expected Byakuya to go to anyone's defense…_ Kyoko mused and realized she'd also need to have a talk with the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. "Apologies if the question seems pointless to you, Chihiro, but… when you say friend, do you mean this entire class?" _Even… me?_

"Yeah, obviously!" the small Ultimate replied, a cheery smile on her face. "You're all my best friends! And it's thanks to you all and to Ms. Yoshida that I've been able to let go of my secret. It saddens me to see her in this state, to tell you the truth… I think I'll have to go and see her, make sure she's okay…"

 _That's really considerate of you, Chihiro…_ Kyoko thought, forced to smile when the programmer did. _Your words remind me of Makoto… and that's not a bad thing to say about someone…_ "That is a good idea. I suggest you keep caution, however. I've seen enough angry people in my career as a detective to know when they are absolutely unapproachable, and this appeared to be Ms. Yoshida's case right now."

"Yes, I'll be cautious! Thank you, Kyoko!"

"Y-You're welcome." the detective stuttered in response, taken aback by Chihiro's ever-growing smile. _Yeah, it seems Makoto rubbed off on you, Chihiro…_ "Well, I'll leave you to it. Goodbye."

The lavender-haired girl turned away, prepared to head back, and commence her investigation for the day. However, she was interrupted before she could take even one step.

"K-Kyoko, wait!" turning around, the detective heard Chihiro calling her out.

"Hm? What is it, Chihiro?" _Chihiro is a nice person, but I have an investigation to tend to…_ Kyoko thought but made sure not to tap her foot on the floor impatiently.

"I-If it's not too personal, I was w-wondering… w-why did you ask me all o-of this…?" the genius programmer asked.

 _Oh. Well, that is a question I should have been prepared for…_ The detective mused, cursing herself for not seeing it coming. _And I suppose I will have to craft out a little lie… as much as I hate to do so._ "Nothing but curiosity, Chihiro," Kyoko replied stoically, knowing the programmer would buy the lie. "It… was certainly interesting to learn, personality-wise."

"O-Oh, okay…" as expected, Chihiro fell right for it. "S-Sorry for bothering you, Kyoko… Have a nice day."

"No worries. Goodbye, Chihiro." the lavender-haired girl replied and finally got a chance to leave the building. She was actually amongst the last to do so: almost everyone had left while she was chatting with Chihiro.

 _I… I'm not ready to tell anyone of my secrets… even admitting that I have one is too much for me to confess to…_ Kyoko thought, putting her stoic mask back on as she exited the building towards the Principal's office. _Perhaps it is admitting my weakness, but… this is something I have to keep to myself. I was weak back then, but I've grown stronger. Perhaps this will always be a sign of my former weakness… but I moved on._

_And I'll make sure not to ever become weak again._

* * *

"Why did you do that? This was certainly out of character for a person like you." Kyoko said, not bothering to hide her suspicion.

"Hmph. And who are you to know me, Kyoko Kirigiri?"

"… Your arrogance will be your downfall, Byakuya Togami." the detective told her classmate, not backing down when he tried to look down on her. "You've certainly shown just how self-centered and uninterested you are in matters unrelated to you. Allow me to believe jumping to someone's defense is rather out of character for you."

"Is that the Ultimate Detective talking?" the Togami heir asked, showing her a condescending smirk. "Jumping to such hasty conclusions is not fitting of someone of the good Kirigiri name, is it now?"

The girl tensed suddenly, and her eyes darkened. _I should have expected as much… He knows about my family… I don't have any idea as to how… but he does._

"Hmph, and now you go silent." he shook his head. "Weren't you the ones expecting answers, my dear Kyoko Kirigiri?"

"Don't patronize me, Togami." _I certainly don't need an arrogant fool looking down on me…_ She thought and made sure her mask was still in place.

"Oh, so we're on a last name basis, then. Fine, I don't mind." Byakuya said, then added, "Kirigiri, might I know what makes you think I wouldn't be disgusted by the likes of Enoshima and her pitiful insults?"

"Perhaps the fact that you insulted our classmates more than anyone?" the detective challenged quickly. "I don't think you have any moral ground to oppose _anyone_ on, Byakuya. Junko's words were disrespectful, and considering what they were about, Chihiro could even complain to the Headmaster about it… Mondo and Taka jumping to Chihiro's defense isn't a surprise, but… why would the heir to the Togami family, someone whose scruples were visibly lacking when they plotted against their half-brothers and sisters, jump to the defense of Chihiro Fujisaki? Quite an odd behavior, coming from you."

"Don't think that because I am superior to you all, it means that I can accept trash like Enoshima uttering words of such low dignity," Byakuya told her, and Kyoko didn't see a lie in his expression. "If there is something I find absolutely lowly, it is mocking someone - as low as they might be - for a question of gender identity."

"Hmph." _Even if this is true… you're a hypocrite, Byakuya Togami._ "You can't actually believe what you're saying, can you?" Kyoko asked him when he finished. "You would be the first to use Chihiro if you had the opportunity, so allow me to doubt your words. You would use anyone actually naïve or incapacitated enough, for that matter."

"I have nothing to say to such pointless speculation, Kirigiri. Leave my sight, plebian."

The Ultimate Detective smirked. "Very well, Byakuya Togami. I've learned that your morals seem to be quite complex. Well, I would have given them some more thought, but unfortunately, I am quite a busy person." she told him before walking away, but not without one last taunt. "Since you seem to know me quite well, think of what I told you during your hours of detention, will you?"

Just hearing the Ultimate Affluent Progeny grunt made Kyoko smile contently as she resumed her walk to her father's office.

*beeeeeep* *beeeeeep*

Kyoko's e-handbook beeped, causing her to stop to take it out of her pocket.

 _Hm… Let's see…_ Now with more experience with the little device, the detective found the message she'd been sent relatively quickly. She began to read as she walked, not wanting to lose any time.

" _To the students of Class 78th,_

_If you read this message, it means that I deemed my earlier behavior unprofessional enough to apologize to you. Indeed, I let my anger get the best of me and punished you as a class without thinking. Your classmate's insults got the best of my composure, but even then, I shouldn't have snapped at you like this._

_Chihiro came to talk to me after class and made me realize my mistake. Most of you have all been really supportive of her, and she told me you came to comfort her after I stupidly scared her. As a result, I am lifting the three hours of detention I had given you all, though the others won't be so lucky._

_My words for you were harsh - but I ask you not to pay them much mind. I said that in anger, and only a select few (you know who) will truly feel targeted. In any case, if you have anything you would like to share with the group, or just with me, I hope this incident didn't plant a seed of hesitation in you. I am here - your classmates are here (well, most of them) to share your burdens, and it is my task to make sure you can carry those burdens together._

_You are my beloved students, and I don't want you to doubt that because of something I said in my anger. You've already shown me way more than enough for me to trust you, and so I will._

_I will see you soon in class to share many more unforgettable moments with you,_

_\- Ms. Yuki Yoshida."_

The Ultimate Detective smiled as she realized the little incident from earlier had been solved and that, in a sense, justice had been served.

 _Good to see that Ms. Yoshida can admit to her errors. I know *someone* would never be able to…_ Kyoko thought, and as she was about to get bitter, a scene in the distance made her smile again.

Makoto and Sayaka were walking on campus, with the Ultimate Pop Sensation visibly very eager to get to wherever they were going. The Luckster simply followed, though visibly not rapidly enough to the temporary redhead's taste, as she grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him at her pace. They looked peaceful, and the childish look on the Ultimate Lucky Student's face made Kyoko giggle.

 _You truly saved her from her despair when I couldn't have._ She thought, quietly resuming her walk. _You saved Sayaka from her own secret by believing in her… Makoto, you aren't as talentless as you think you are. Or at least, I don't think so. And who knows… p-perhaps you… perhaps you could do the same for me one day…?_

The girl stopped for a second, freezing in place as she felt something rolling on her cheek. Taking a deep breath, she wiped it away with one of her gloved hands and shook her head.

_It had been a while since you had last shed a tear, Kyoko Kirigiri. And for what, exactly? Because you think Makoto of all people would be able to help you with a secret you began to hide years ago and that he's completely unfamiliar with? I must be getting rustier than I thought…_

_But still… Makoto proved you wrong since day one. He never distrusted you, even when logic said he should have… He befriended you, even when you showed no sign of ever wanting to become his friend… You do not make sense, Makoto, you really don't._

Kyoko looked at her hands in nostalgia.

_I would have told her back then. She was my sister in everything but blood… You're nothing like that, and it's not even close. Is it me who simply doesn't want to take the risk of another failure? Maybe I tell myself that, but I'm not afraid of failing anymore. It forged me, and another failure would forge me just as much. Perhaps I should… Maybe I should put my skepticism to better use than distrust…_

_That's what she would have wanted to me do. Yui… The Yui back then… What would she say if she were here right now?_

… _Hm, I know what she'd say. "Kyoko! It's not because you're a detective that you have to always be suspicious of everyone! I'm sure Makoto only wants the best for you! And I know that, deep down, you know that too. The care he shows you every day… You needed it because I'm not there anymore to give it to you, little sis. Maybe my fate was to fail you… But that's my fate, and mine alone. Makoto isn't like that. He won't fail you, even if he learns of your secret. That's what I believe, and that's what you should believe, too, little sis! Let him be the person you need, and the hope in your life."_

_And she'd be wrong… right? She'd be wrong… just as much as I was to trust her back then… But yet… I can't help but feel like that if I ever tell someone of my past hardships… it will probably be you, Makoto…_

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked angry Yuki! It's a side of her character I had in mind when I created her, but never got to showcase in AOH, so there you go! This chapter was meant to include a good dose of foreshadowing, for both canon and the future of the timeline. I hope you liked this chapter, and please leave a comment! Have a nice day, everyone! ^^


	8. Guilt-Ridden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Kyoko makes a mistake that could break her friendship with Makoto, she finds the need to be by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried my hand at something slightly different for this chapter, so I honestly have no idea how good you'll find it to be... Well, anyway, I hope you like it! Also, I know I said in Chapter One that I'd tell you when these chapters happen in the AOH timeline, but... I kinda forgot for six chapters? Sorry about that. Well, this chapter takes place during Chapter Five of AOH, for your information.

**_Chapter Eight: Guilt-Ridden_ **

"I said move, for god's sake!"

"OUCH! K-Kyoko!"

Kyoko's fist connected with Makoto's jaw as well as his right cheek. It made the Ultimate Lucky Student take a big step back as he immediately cried in pain.

He stood there for a few moments, and if his eyes were any indication, she had hit him hard enough that he was on the brink of falling unconscious. Frankly, it was surprising he actually didn't fall just right there and then considering how strong the punch he'd received had been - even if she had not gone all out.

Still, that didn't mean he was faring well. The look of hurt all over his face all but confirmed that. He placed his hand on his face - most likely to see if anything was broken, Kyoko thought - as the first few tears fell from his hazel eyes.

But the hurt in his eyes… it wasn't only physical. Of course, being hit like this hurt a lot. Kyoko had been hit by criminals in the past and could attest to that. But there was something else. And that something else… made the Ultimate Detective go through something she never wanted to go through again.

" _YUI! PLEASE, YUI, SAVE ME! YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIII!"_

The feeling of betrayal she had felt back then when her little sister had been absent… She knew how it was. Kyoko knew what had been in her eyes at this moment when the fire had begun to do its horrible work that would leave her hands scarred forever. Of course, it wasn't _exactly_ the same she saw in Makoto's eyes - he wasn't her sister… - but anything remotely close to what she had lived… was too much for her to bear.

_W-What… What have I done…?_ The lavender-haired girl wondered, as her mind began picturing the flames around Makoto. _What have I done… to Makoto…?_

The anger at her father for his usual uselessness… The bullies she had just humiliated in the middle of campus… The tens of students who had just gathered to look over the scene… Gone.

Gone, and only flames in their stead.

Flames that Kyoko couldn't bear to see for another second.

"M-Makoto!" the Kirigiri detective exclaimed, as the flames got closer to engulfing the poor Luckster. "A-Are you alright?!"

_Of course, he isn't, Kyoko! Someone he considers a friend just decked him, you fool!_

She blamed herself, but the flames got even closer, and the mark on the Ultimate Lucky Student's cheek didn't get any less red. If anything… Makoto looked about to fall unconscious at any moment now.

The lavender-haired girl knew there was urgency in her voice - actually more than she had shown in years. She hated that urgency. Kyoko hated knowing someone saw who she really was, once you had removed the stoic mask. But there… that didn't matter anymore.

For some strange, stupid reason, that didn't matter anymore.

"K-Kyoko…" she heard him mutter her name as he eventually fell unconscious, and the gloved hand Kyoko extended to him was never caught.

Makoto lay sleeping on the ground of the campus of Hope's Peak Academy, with Kyoko Kirigiri looking over him. At that moment, all she wanted was to disappear. A tear ran down her cheek, but she didn't wipe it away. She knew it would have been taking the easy route. The Ultimate Detective knew just how much she would have wanted to see _her_ tears of regret back then. But disappearing wasn't an option. Not for her.

It had never been, and it never would be as long as her name was Kyoko Kirigiri.

Gasps were heard, but none of them reached Kyoko's ears. She kneeled in front of her classmate's unconscious form and wrapped a strong arm around his waist, lifting him up without any issue.

_I'll do what you should have done back then, Yui. I'll save him from the flames… I won't up and disappear on him… because perhaps Makoto won't ever be you… but he'll always be my friend! And… And I couldn't live with myself if I let my best friend suffer because of me! Perhaps it was only my hands by then, Yui… But it might as well have been my heart. You almost left me to die back then… But I've grown, and I'm me._

With a new determination in the Ultimate Detective's eyes, she began to carry her unconscious classmate around. Tens of eyes were on her, but she couldn't have given a damn: they all received a Kirigiri stare that made them realize they should look away as quickly as they could. Facts were, she had knocked seven people out already, and even if she didn't want to extend that list, she dared anyone to try her.

_But at least now I know how you must have felt, Yui. I feel the guilt. I know Makoto will never be you, but now I understand how it was for you. And I see why it must not have been pleasant for you. I feel dumb. I feel guilty. I feel unworthy of being Makoto's friend. Heck, I even feel unworthy of being a detective right now!_

_But I won't avoid that guilt, Yui. You've run, but I won't. I know it must seem hypocritical coming from me… but I'll try to earn Makoto's forgiveness. I have only a few friends - Hina, Sakura, Chihiro, and maybe Sayaka, now that we've settled our differences - and then there's Makoto. And I've befriended them after weighing the pros and the cons, trust me. But now that I've done that… I need to hold my end of the deal._

_If I must apologize, then so be it: I'll apologize no matter how long it takes. Will Makoto forgive me? I don't know. I'm still a beginner when it comes to friendship, remember?_ Kyoko smiled. Of all the things she could have done, she smiled. _But knowing Makoto… I think he can forgive me. I think I would have forgiven you, you know? No, really… now that I think about it… the person who'll need the most time to forgive me…_

_Hmph. That's probably myself._

* * *

"Makoto, where the hell did you put your keys?!" Kyoko frustratingly wondered as she combed through the Ultimate Lucky Student's outside pockets but couldn't find the key to his room.

In fact, the Ultimate Detective was right in front of the boy's dorm room, though she was stuck facing the door until she found his key. And even if she could be considered athletic, and that the Luckster couldn't be considered particularly heavy, Kyoko felt her arms slowly weakening, which pressed her to hasten her search.

She felt against his clothes, trying to find it - though she made sure to respect his privacy and not to touch anywhere… she had no business touching. Sure, if he was a dead body, then perhaps she'd inspect him for her investigation, but right now, facts were, Makoto wasn't deceased yet.

_I'm the reason he's unconscious, but I like to believe I didn't kill him with that punch…_ The detective thought as she checked his outside pockets once more, to no avail, however. _Even if that doesn't amount to much, I'm afraid…_

Suddenly, as she felt over his breast pocket, Kyoko finally found what she was looking for. _Ah, finally!_ She thought, shaking her head. The girl opened the pocket, only to find it completely empty. _Wait, what? I can even make out the shape of it! Makoto must have inside pockets…_

Of course, Kyoko wasn't about to place Makoto on the ground to find his keys (she thought she had hurt his dignity enough by knocking him out in the middle of Hope's Peak Academy, quite frankly). And considering she was holding him in her arms, there was no other choice than to reach inside the boy's hoodie with one hand.

The Ultimate Detective blushed as her hand trailed off her unconscious classmate's pecs - which, as expected, weren't muscled. She could also feel his nipple from under the fabric, which reddened her blush. _I'm sorry for invading your privacy, Makoto, but it's either that or I set you to the floor and inspect you like a dead body._ She noticed Makoto's lips turning into a smile in his sleep as her digits looked to open his inside pocket while keeping him safely in her arms. _I… don't suppose Makoto has ever been touched on his pecs, to be honest… Not that he wouldn't want Sayaka to, I'm sure._

Kyoko finally opened the pocket and immediately took out the keys, and maneuvered to put the correct one in the keyhole. She turned.

Well, at least, she tried to turn. Realization struck her: it was already open.

_Why am I not surprised…?_ The lavender-haired girl kicked the door to open it - since the less she needed to use her hands, the better since it reduced her chances of dropping Makoto - and entered, making sure not to leave the keys hanging on the keylock.

Now in the lucky student's room, Kyoko decided to place him on his bed, under the bedsheets so he'd be comfortable. She took a quick look at his jaw to see if it was broken and was reassured when she noticed it wasn't.

_I don't know if he should consider himself lucky I didn't go all out with that punch, or it would definitely have been broken…_ Kyoko thought, sighing in regret. _I'm supposed to remain calm in any given situation, and yet… I've done the exact opposite by snapping and hurting Makoto. I need to be better than that. I am the Ultimate Detective, and this wasn't worthy of my title._

Nevertheless, Kyoko found a reason to smile as she looked over her classmate's sleeping figure. _He's peaceful, sleeping like this… I don't know if he sleeps well at night, but he's definitely resting well right now, even if had, most likely not planned for that._ She sighed again. _But if anything… that's quite cute._

A small blush appeared on the detective's cheeks as she thought that. But if there was one thing Kyoko hated, it was lies. Lying to people, people lying to her, but also lying to herself.

_Yeah, Makoto's cute, no doubt about it. That low snoring of his is adorable, too…_ The detective girl found herself staring at the boy, allowing herself to relax as she sat on one of his chairs. "Frankly, if Sayaka passes you up when you so obviously love her…" she said out loud, then paused. "I might not know a damn thing about love, but even I know it'd be a mistake."

"S-Sayaka…?"

"Huh?" Kyoko's train of thought was interrupted by Makoto uttering a word, though weakly. _Does Makoto talk while sleeping?_ She wondered, narrowing her eyes on her sleeping classmate. _And if he uttered Sayaka's name, that must mean he truly loves her…_

She knew it probably wasn't alright to listen to him while he couldn't do anything to keep what he wanted to keep private… well, private. But the violet-eyed girl also knew she just couldn't up and leave Makoto alone. Not after what she had done to him.

And thus, she began talking to him.

"I don't know if she loves you back, Makoto, but there's one thing I know," Kyoko said softly from her chair, knowing it was silly to talk to someone asleep, but she didn't feel like stopping. "You're a special friend to her. How do I know?" she let out an amused giggle. "Well, you're the same for me, Makoto. You're my best friend, and that's why I regret what I did to you so much. You were kind enough to befriend me, and I hurt you."

"K-Kyo… K-Kyoko…?"

"Yes, it's me, Makoto. But don't wake up yet if you need to sleep," she told him, feeling her heart melt as she heard the boy's cute voice. "I've just done something bad to you, and I hope that when you wake up, you'll be able to forgive me." _But again, knowing you… you most likely will._

"I don't know if I've ever told you this, or if you've figured it out, but…" the detective stopped, wiping off another tear. "You're the first person I befriended in ages, Makoto. You see… I had a friend once, her name was Yui. To be honest… we were so close, I considered her my sister." _Why… am I even telling him this? Sure, he's sleeping and probably won't even register it, but still…_ "But then something happened, and we just couldn't be friends anymore. Well, I know someone as apparently optimistic as you would have found a way to remain friends with her if you were in my shoes… but we're different, Makoto. And that's why I couldn't befriend you at first.

"You never went through what I went through, or at least, I hope you didn't. But… I think there's a part of you that really made me change - and I hope, made me better than I once was. Well, that doesn't mean I'm perfect, and I still make lots of mistakes, like punching you back there…" Kyoko stopped for a moment, trying to organize her thoughts - Ultimate Detective style. "But I know I can get better, both as a detective and as a friend. I… I just need some time, okay? Do you… Do you think you could give me the time I need to become a better friend to you, Makoto?"

_He's not gonna answer, Kyoko. He's asleep._ The detective rolled her eyes. _I really don't know why I'm even talking to him right now. I could honestly just wait for him to wake up in silence and leave it at that. And if it was just talking to him, I suppose it would be okay, but asking him questions? I know he won't answer… What the hell happened to my thoughtful approach to things?! But still… I feel like talking to Makoto like this is putting my mind at ease… No reason to stop, I guess._

"You see…" she resumed, crossing her legs. "My detective work is stressful, at times. Maybe you think that, but it's not because I'm the Ultimate Detective that it becomes easy. Criminals are always becoming cleverer, more cunning with their plans. Well, some are absolute idiots, but in most cases, when I work, I have to focus on nothing else than my goal. But sometimes… some things happen that slow my investigations down, and I hate it. It's like… I don't know… All the pressure I've contained within me just comes out, and I get angry and sometimes do stupid things. This is what happened earlier. Something - _or rather, someone_ \- caused one of my investigations to slow down, and it angered me. Still… I know I shouldn't have snapped at you and punched you. It wasn't fair of me. You did nothing wrong, and I hurt you. That goes against my morals as a detective. Honestly, it makes me consider whether or not my room for improvement as a detective is actually on the field or not. I can surely improve… but maybe not at catching criminals.

"I'm starting to realize that I've treated my life as a criminal case ever since I lost my friend, but maybe it isn't the way it should be." the detective wondered aloud, though - of course - she got no reply from the sleeping Makoto. "Looking at things from a neutral perspective is what I do best, and this is what is asked of me. I doubt I'll ever be able to change that. But perhaps… I might be able to appreciate things a bit more. People, too. I don't believe I can be a good person like you, Makoto, and it's not my role to be. Don't get me wrong: I don't think I am a bad person either. What I mean to say is that a detective has to look further than the 'good and bad' spectrum. I fight for justice, and I fight for the truth. That's what being a detective entails.

"But still… I am a detective, and I'll always be at heart. That's the person I've grown up to be, and that will not change." the girl continued, her voice alternating between melancholy and relief. "Our views of the world are different. You've never actually told me, but I know you're the kind of guy to believe in the good of this world. You're an idealist, and that makes sense: you entered Hope's Peak by chance, so you must believe that anyone can achieve their dreams if fate is on their side. I don't disagree with you, but I cannot say I am in total agreement either. Idealism can guide one person. It can help them pursue their dreams. But can idealism lift people? Can idealism stop criminals? Can idealism make the world a better place for the innocents? I wonder…"

Kyoko closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _If I'm asking him this, it must mean that I at least believe it might be possible. In and of itself, this is already a significant change for me._

"You're not talentless, Makoto, I'm sure of it. I can't quite put my finger on it quite yet, but there is something within you that sets you apart from the others. Ms. Yoshida once told me you were this class' link with the world." she told him pensively. "Could that be the truth? Could you be a student of Hope's Peak Academy to show the Ultimates what the will of the people is?" Kyoko giggled. "Well, even if it was the case, I doubt this is something you'd realize, anyway. You seem the clueless type, Makoto. But you know… I think people like you are the reason they say 'ignorance is bliss'… You live freely, without having to think of the negative. That's a chance you have that I don't, Makoto.

"But that's also an issue."

"I-Issue…?" the Luckster muttered weakly, as if - subconsciously - he was listening to the girl.

"Yes, Makoto," Kyoko affirmed, in case his sleeping mind would be able to process it anyway. "That's why I was cold towards you. I've learned of the dangers of this world ever since my childhood. I'd like to see the world the way you see it, believe me. But I can't. At least, not wholly. Protection against deception, and never allow others to read your emotions. And whoever stands before you, don't let them push you around. Remember that, Makoto. That is a part of my creed, and the reason why the blind trust you put in people worries me to some extent. Out of all the people you trust, I'm sure a majority of them mean absolutely no harm, but it takes just one person for the house of cards to fall down. I know I have no right to say that after what I did, but you're a great person, Makoto, and I don't want you to get hurt. Some people would use your trust against you, and I don't want that to happen. As I told you earlier, you were my first friend in forever, but that doesn't mean I forgot what friendship means.

"You're my friend, and I know friends are there to protect each other. And I'll protect you, Makoto. Especially after what happened today, I swear I will."

* * *

It wasn't amazingly elegant, she had to admit, but Kyoko had - during her stay in Makoto's room - to use the bathroom. The Ultimate Detective didn't feel like going all the way back to her room and thus decided to use the lucky student's bathroom.

_I have to admit Makoto keeps his bathroom organized. Who would have thought, after seeing what his desk and room look like?!_ Kyoko told herself, sighing in exasperation as she recalled just how messy her classmate's room was, overall. _I wonder what his shower gel smells like…_

Out of curiosity, Kyoko allowed herself to open the bottle and smell inside.

_Coconut, apparently._ She realized and placed the bottle back on the counter. _It certainly smells nice. And now that I think about it, it smells like Makoto._

A blush accompanied that thought.

*ding* *dong* *bing* *bong*

_Ah, the nighttime bell. 10 PM, then. Which means I stayed in Makoto's room for…_ She made a quick calculation before her eyes widened. _FOUR HOURS?! Well… I can safely say this wasn't my most productive day ever…_

The girl turned the water on to wash her hands and blamed herself for harming the poor Luckster, and thus, having to look over him for so long. She also wondered how she had knocked Makoto unconscious for so long, too.

_If I had any free time, I'd help you work on taking hits and overall martial arts, but I'm afraid with the time I lost today due to my own idiocy, it won't be possible any time soon…_ Kyoko regretted as she dried her hands with the towel hanging on Makoto's bathroom door. _That's a shame, as having Sakura in our class could have helped the two of us a lot. Well, maybe someday._

The detective opened the door and began contemplating sleeping on that chair near Makoto's desk since the boy showed no signs of waking up any time soon.

_Well… if I haven't destroyed our friendship, that is. And if I can still feel a pulse in your arm, too. I didn't think I could send someone to sleep for so long with just one punch…_

Luckily for Kyoko, once she stepped out of the bathroom, the first thing she noticed was Makoto - awake. The second thing she noticed was that he was absolutely out of it, with his eyes fluttering. His dazed state made Kyoko smile.

_Well, that's the big jump in the unknown, I guess… Maybe I was wrong, and you'll hate me. I would probably deserve it, too. But perhaps, with some luck… we'll remain friends, and I'll one day find the courage to actually tell you everything I said in the last few hours. There's hope for me to fix my mistakes, at least…_

And with one last deep breath to compose herself and try to sound less nervous than she actually was, Kyoko spoke up, addressing her classmate who seemed quite dazed.

"Ah, you're awake."

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was my first time writing a monologue for an entire chapter, and I sincerely hope you found it good enough. This moment was important for Naegiri in AOH, so I just couldn't leave Kyoko's POV aside. It was a fun thing to tackle, though! Two more chapters to go on this side story until it joins Chapter Seven of AOH on the timeline. Until then, though, I hope you liked this chapter, and please leave a comment! Have a nice day! ^^


	9. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Kyoko gets to work on a new investigation, she meets a new character who wants to help her with her troubled state...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the penultimate chapter to this side story! It takes place right after Kyoko leaves her father's office in Chapter Six of AOH. Enjoy!

**_Chapter Nine: Trust_ **

"I was wondering if you would like to hang out a bit when I'm finished here?" Makoto asked, and Kyoko noticed he seemed to be hoping not to get punched again. "Y-You know… to get to know each other better. I think you're the only person with who I haven't really got to spend much time apart from Byakuya and Toko, and I'd like to change that."

Kyoko was pretty angry, but not at her classmate. Still, the offer lightened her mood a little, though her frustration towards her father and his scout friend was still very much there.

_Spending time with Makoto would be really enjoyable, but I have already lost much time on my investigation because of these two morons. I'm sure I would really enjoy Makoto's presence, but the victim of the case has to take priority…_

Taking the most apologetic tone she could muster in her state, Kyoko replied, "It sure is nice of you to ask, but I have too many important things to work on to lose any more time. Don't take it personally: perhaps I would have had the time if the Headmaster and his drunken friend had been more useful," she added, to make sure Makoto understood who the real culprits behind her refusal were. "So no, sorry. Goodbye, Makoto."

The Ultimate Detective walked away quickly - both to make sure she could get to work but also not to see the disappointment on the Ultimate Lucky Student's face.

Her hands curled into fists as she went down the stairs in a hurry on the way towards her destination. Kyoko hated refusing the poor boy anything, after the number of times he had shown her such kindness. The Luckster had even forgiven her after the incident on the central plaza of the campus, and she didn't have the right words to say just how grateful she was.

_I feel indebted to Makoto for this…_ The girl thought, pushing open the doors. _And while I can leave my own enjoyment to the side for the sake of my work, it pains me that Makoto has to suffer from it. Well, I have to hope he'll find someone to spend time with once he's done with the Principal._

_Grr… This man! Does he have to ruin everything for me?!_ Kyoko wondered, cursing her father. She had managed to keep the potty mouth away while in his office, but that didn't mean she wasn't furious. _First, you abandon me; and then you take away my chances to spend time with my best friend… I'll never forgive you!_

The cool breeze outside allowed Kyoko to relax a bit and to refocus on the case at hand. She certainly didn't want to add insult to injury by being unable to work correctly on her own fault.

_Right. Anger will only get me so far. With some luck, perhaps I can make enough headway into this case to find some free time tomorrow!_ The detective realized and found new motivation. _Alright! Let's do this!_

* * *

*knock* *knock*

Kyoko knocked and stood in front of the door. The doorplate read "Hope's Peak Academy's Therapist," and even if she had never needed to interact with them, the lavender-haired girl knew they were known for their quality work.

She waited for a bit until the door opened, revealing inside the office a young woman sitting in a highly-developed wheelchair. Other than that, and the modern PC screen in front of her, the girl didn't seem to be anyone out of the ordinary: blue-hair that reached her shoulders, blue eyes, red scarf, brown jacket. Kyoko did note, however, that she didn't seem really expressive.

_Hm, yes, I seem to recall reading she was handicapped and wheelchair-bound…_ The detective thought quickly. _And even if I have no right to judge her on that point, she seems rather inexpressive. This is odd for a therapist… Well, she is known as the Ultimate Therapist, so I don't suppose I can teach her the job…_

"Good afternoon, Ms. Gekkogahara," Kyoko said and gave a polite bow. "My name is Kyoko Kirigiri, from Class 78th. I was appointed by the Police Department to work on the case of your stolen files. Could I please come in so we can discuss this further?"

The detective peeked inside and noticed a well-organized office that seemed to double as a consultation room for the students in need. And, indeed, one of the bookshelves on the wall was completely empty.

The student waited for a few seconds before the screen on Miaya's wheelchair turned on and revealed a white and pink rabbit which, Kyoko had to admit, was rather ridiculous.

"Bibbity, bobbity, hello!" the rabbit suddenly exclaimed cheerily. "My name is Usami; glad to meet you!"

Kyoko's eyes narrowed on the screen and her mouth opened to respond… but she didn't find the right words. She gave the therapist her most suspicious look - not of doubt, but of misunderstanding.

_What is… that thing which just talked to me?_ The lavender-haired detective wondered, eying the rabbit. _Whatever it is, it seems cheerful… Unlike its owner._

"Oh, don't be scared of me, Miss!" the rabbit said, smiling at Kyoko. "I may not look like it, but I am Hope's Peak Academy's squeezably soft therapist assistant to Miaya!" seeing the detective was still confused, it added, "I know why you are confused. But I promise I am a very sweet girl! Still… I need your help right now…"

_So it seems that… Ms. Gekkogahara overcomes her apparent shyness through this rabbit…_ Kyoko mused, adopting her thinking pose before stepping inside once Miaya had entered. _Ironically, the therapist is too shy to talk to people. Well, that doesn't matter for my investigation. I just need to find some clues regarding the disappearance of the files, and I'll be gone._

"Please sit down, Miss!" Usami said before Kyoko obliged and took a seat on the other side of the therapist's desk. "I am so glad someone came to help with the files! Losing private files about students is a big no-no!"

"I understand why it would be, yes." the Ultimate Detective agreed with a nod. "And it is my job to help you find your files." _The rabbit seems talkative enough, and I seem to be getting used to it._ "Hope's Peak Academy warned the Police Department of the theft yesterday, and I was appointed on the spot to help you. I might be a student here, Ms. Gekkogahara, but I will make sure my life as a student doesn't slow down my investigation."

"Yes, I trust you!" the digital rabbit said happily, from what Kyoko could tell. "The Headmaster said a lot of great things about you, and it seems you are a very sweet girl, too! I'll do my best to help you out with your investigation!"

_The Headmaster? Hmph._ The detective decided not to give it any thought. "Thank you; that would be most useful. Well, first off, can you tell me which files were stolen?"

"Well… I cannot really say…" the rabbit told Kyoko, becoming a little shier. "I promise the students who come here that their files will remain confidential…"

_Not that the thief cared about that…_ The Kirigiri detective rolled her eyes. "Of course. But you do not have to worry. I am a police detective, and I am only asking this to gather clues about your files' whereabouts. I will not access them without your permission." she gave a quick bow of the head. "You have my word as a detective. But I do need some information to work with." _Besides, you just said you'd help me to the best of your abilities…_

"Yes, I believe you, Miss! We need to trust each other if we want to catch the bad guy!" Usami declared, earning a smile from Kyoko. "So, about the files that were stolen… They are the files regarding the students of Classes 70th to 78th! This is really bad! Really, really bad!"

"The Ultimate Classes, you say?" the violet-eyed girl asked, genuinely surprised. _Did the thief target the Ultimates for a particular reason?_ "And when did that happen? The Police Department was made aware of the theft yesterday, but did it happen on the same day?"

"I… I am sorry, Miss, but I don't know!" Miaya, through her avatar, said, the little rabbit showing sadness. "I usually leave the campus on Fridays and come back on Sundays, but I wasn't there at all last week because I was working on a project!" Usami began to sob. "It could have been at any time during that week! I am so sorry, Miss Detective!"

"This is fine," Kyoko told the alumni with a sigh. "I can do without that detail, I suppose." _Or, more precisely, I'll have to. What worries me is that the thief could already be far if they stole the files at the beginning of last week… Or they could have already disposed of it, which wouldn't be any better…_

Still, the visible annoyance on the detective's face didn't go unnoticed by the therapist. "P-Please don't be mad at me, Miss…" Usami pleaded weakly. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you when it happened…"

Cursing herself for her rudeness when addressing the victim of the case, Kyoko tried to make the situation better by saying, "No worries, I am not mad." she gave a small but comforting smile. "I can't say this will facilitate my investigation, but there are other leads to pursue. Talking about this… do you have any idea who could have stolen the file? And who could have entered this place, for that matter? I didn't notice any signs of a break-in, so I believe they must have used the door."

"I keep the key to this room in my locker in the staff room," Usami explained, apparently doing better. "Maybe they stole it from there to come here? As for the mean person who could have done it… I don't want to accuse anyone… I want to trust that no one would be mean enough to steal…"

Kyoko hmphed and rolled her eyes. "My apologies, Ms. Gekkogahara, but I need facts to work with, and the facts are that your files were stolen. I understand why you don't want to doubt anyone, but these files didn't simply disappear. You have my sympathy, but I will need you to have enough faith in me that I can find the thief and bring you your files back."

_Though I'll admit… her words of wanting to trust people… remind me of Makoto, for some reason._ The girl thought while the therapist seemed to be conflicted. _He convinced me it worked… No, Kyoko. Makoto showed you time and time again that he could make people feel better by trusting them. Right now, you need to focus on these stolen files. You'll think about that later!_

"R-Right… Sorry, Miss, it's just… It's the first time something like this happened to me, and I've been taught not to doubt people, so…" the older girl said through her AI, and while Usami appeared to be doing better, Miaya herself had still not changed expression once. "But I really don't know who could have done it… I am so sorry, Miss Detective!"

"T-That's okay…" the current student assured her and sighed. "As I said, I'm not upset. You are missing some information, but that's not your fault."

"Okay. I really hope I will be able to help you more later, Miss Detective!" the Ultimate Therapist said, and her artificial rabbit was cheery once more. "And I believe in you! I'm sure you'll find the files that have been stolen!"

_With the lack of information, that remains to be seen…_ Kyoko thought, and while she appreciated the vote of confidence the victim of the case was giving her, she couldn't help but be pessimistic. _My bet for the culprit would be someone familiar with Hope's Peak, so either a student or a staff member… but that's a long list of people! Well, no time like the present to investigate._

"Thank you, Ms. Gekkogahara." the Ultimate Detective told her and stood up. "I will get going to continue my investigation. I will do my best to find the stolen item, but I ask you to be patient. Goodbye, Ms. Gekkoga-"

"M-Miss Detective, w-wait!"

Just as the Kirigiri detective had turned around to leave the room, she was called out by Usami. Turning back to face the digital rabbit and its owner, Kyoko was surprised to see the latter rolling her wheelchair to her.

"What is it?" Kyoko asked, crossing her arms over her breasts and sighing as she realized she was wasting time.

"You seem troubled, Miss Detective…" the AI said, looking unsure. "Are you alright?"

"Hm?" _Troubled?_ The younger girl echoed in her mind, surprised. "I am not troubled… I am simply focused on finding your files and the thief who stole them. Might I know why you tell me that?"

"Well…" Miaya rolled even closer to Kyoko and looked at her in the eyes. The detective found her emotionless eyes a little disturbing - but dared not tell her. "You have a grim expression, and it's been the case ever since you've entered my office… I have seen many students who overworked themselves and had similar expressions, Miss Detective… Are you _sure_ you're alright? Don't be afraid of telling me the truth; it is my job to handle that sort of information, after all!"

Usami smiled brightly and proudly, and Kyoko noticed even the therapist herself was smiling a little. It made the scene a little less nerve-wracking.

_I was beginning to wonder if she was even human, so good to know she is._ She mused, rolling her eyes and letting out a sigh. _But whatever: I am seriously wasting time on my investigation. Besides, I doubt I am more troubled than before… Why would I-_

A realization hit Kyoko.

_Oh. C-Could that… It can't be *just* that, can it?_

"I don't feel troubled, but you're the therapist, so I guess my opinion doesn't really matter, does it?" the Ultimate Detective asked rhetorically and sighed again. Usami nodded, though it seemed clear to the girl that the rabbit didn't want to offend her. "And what do you make of that? Perhaps I appear to be troubled because this investigation isn't off to the best of starts, and I will have to work even harder to make it succeed?"

"Well, maybe I could ask you some questions to determine that?" the therapist offered.

_As much as I don't want to… she is the victim of this case, and it is my job to do what she wants, as long as it doesn't compromise my investigation. And if she says I am 'troubled' then it could make my work less efficient, which wouldn't be good either…_

"Fine. But please make it quick, Ms. Gekkogahara." Kyoko gave in and said. "The longer you take, the more unlikely it becomes that I find your files."

"It's fine, don't worry, Miss Detective!" Usami said before Miaya turned around and rolled to the sofa on the other side of the room. "But I can't leave you in a troubled state, especially if you plan on helping me! It is my duty to make sure every student here can always be happy, and I'll help you gladly!"

_Well, I guess it can't hurt. And who knows? She might be able to tell me if what I think is wrong *really* is what is wrong…_ "Thank you, I suppose… Go ahead, then, ask me your questions, Ms. Gekkogahara."

"Would you please come and lay on the sofa, Miss?" the white and pink rabbit demanded as the Ultimate Therapist took out a paper from her desk and began to write on it. Seeing Kyoko's incredulous look, she explained, "It allows the patient to relax. And it's a really soft sofa, too!"

"Fine, then." the detective said and walked to the said sofa before laying down, with her legs crossed. _Hm, this sofa is soft, no doubt… I feel like a nap here would rest me more than a night in my bed._ "Whenever you want, Ms. Gekkogahara."

"Thank you, Miss Detective!" Usami cheered, and Kyoko sighed in amusement. "Well, normally, I have to ask many questions about my patients, but since you don't have much time, we'll speed up a bit, okay?"

The lavender-haired girl simply nodded and understanding. _Yeah, maybe this won't be such a waste of time, after all…_

"So, first off… Since you're a detective, that means you have a lot of work, right?" the AI asked, as its owner rolled closer to the sofa.

"Indeed. I won't get into details, but my schedule is based on my detective work, and I often have to miss classes because of it." Kyoko answered and explained. "I am trying to take on fewer cases to liberate myself some free time and go to class more often, but I am still highly busy." _Mainly because of that promise I made to Makoto…_

"I see… And do you think you get enough rest, Miss Detective? It is important to get eight hours of sleep every night, you know?"

_I… am far from eight hours a night…_ That made Kyoko smile, though it made her worry a bit too. "Well, I may finish working late from time to time, but I feel well-rested if that is what you want to know."

Usami brought her paw to her face in thought, a bit like the detective would do with her hand when she was thinking deeply about something. Miaya was still mostly passive, however.

"Did one of your cases recently involve trauma, Miss Detective?" asked the therapist, visibly trying her best to find the source of Kyoko's apparent troubles. "Did you see something that scared you?"

"Hmph. Ms. Gekkogahara, I have seen tens, if not hundreds of bodies in my life, some of them being completely mutilated." the lavender-haired girl said and made it clear she wasn't the fearful type. "I don't believe anything could really scare me anymore. At least, that's what I'll believe until I'm proven wrong."

The former student seemed to quickly understand the problem she was looking for wasn't there. Kyoko saw her write some things on the new file she had prepared before she asked a new question.

"Hm… Do you think your troubled state could be related to one of your friends or family members, Miss Detective?" Usami wondered as Miaya rolled to face the Kirigiri detective once again. "It is often the cause of such issues. I… have heard that you aren't on great terms with the Headmaster… Do you think it could be related?"

"Apart from the fact that he's an idiot who only gets in my way, you mean?" Kyoko asked bitterly, her small smile disappearing in favor of a stoic expression. "He has caused me many issues, but I can tell you they're behind me now. Well, most of them are, at least." _Not that I am telling you about *this* anytime soon…_

"O-Oh, um… I won't pry if you don't want me to, Miss Detective…" the rabbit said weakly, and the detective understood she had scared the therapist with her sharp tone. "But there is a lot of venom in your voice for someone whose troubles are behind them. Has he done something to you recently that made you angry?"

"Yes. Yes, he has." the Ultimate Detective replied immediately, unable to control just how cold she had sounded. "It seems that whatever he does, he always manages to do the wrong thing to get in my way. In my happiness' way."

The therapist's interest was visibly piqued if the fact that she reacted was any indication. Kyoko sighed and prepared herself for the question she knew was coming.

"Aren't you happy, Miss Detective?" the rabbit asked her through the screen. "Your expression is cold, and your voice carries anger. Some hatred, too… Hatred isn't good, Miss Detective!"

"I… I know, Ms. Gekkogahara. My apologies if I came off as impolite or rude." the girl told her eldest, taking a deep breath to keep her composure. "It's just… There is someone… Someone who makes me extremely happy and who I like very much…" she paused, pondering going further or not. A nod of encouragement from Usami convinced her to continue, "He is the first person I befriended in years, Ms. Gekkogahara. Whenever I have free time, I like to spend it with him, because I know it'll be time well-spent.

"But… Then the Headmaster's uselessness kicks in…" Kyoko subconsciously curled her hand into a fist as she mentioned her father. "And he takes away my chance at spending time with him! I do not have many friends, Ms. Gekkogahara. Counting quickly, four, maybe five. I don't ask for more than that, but I'm sick and tired of this pathetic joke of a man ruining the few moments of happiness I have!"

Kyoko's voice suddenly got up a few notches, and she got up from the sofa in a second. Tears threatened to escape her eyes as she glared at the ever-unresponsive therapist with a mix of hate and sadness in her purple orbs. Of course, these emotions weren't directed at the alumni. No, they were directed at the man whom she considered the cause of all her issues.

"Other than my Grandfather and my detective work, my few friends are all I have! I've relearned how to befriend people, and I won't let him of all people get in the way!" the detective proclaimed as she tried her best to keep the tears away. "If it weren't for his incompetence, Ms. Gekkogahara, I would be spending time with my best friend right now, and you would already have your files back!"

"Miss Detective…" Usami appeared to be saddened by Kyoko's sudden change of behavior. "Please don't be angry. I promise you'll feel much better if you take a deep breath and try to calm down. I understand how the Headmaster is not someone you hold in high regard, so we'll talk a bit more about your friend, alright? There, sit back down and take deep breaths."

_She's right, Kyoko… This is unlike you to lose your composure like this…_ Kyoko herself thought and tried to shake off the unpleasant feeling that the stoic mask she had spent years to create was being taken apart piece by piece. _The Principal has proven useless, but that's no reason to get mad. I need to stay positive. That's what *he'd* do._

"Yes, you're right…," the detective girl did as she was told. She already appeared to be doing much better only a few seconds after sitting back down. "I am sorry you had to see that. My attitude was most unbecoming of a detective."

"It's okay, Miss Detective. You don't need to be afraid of letting it all out sometimes." the digital therapist said for its owner, giving the girl a warm smile. "But let's talk about your friend, shall we? You haven't told me his name yet."

"Right; his name is Makoto," she answered. "He is one of my classmates… and my best friend. He is my class' Ultimate Lucky Student, and while he believes that makes him untalented, I think otherwise. There is something in him I can't quite pinpoint yet… and it makes him such a valuable friend to me. He made me realize that friendship could be a chance again. He's always so kind, so considerate… even sometimes at his own expense…"

"Your friend truly seems like a great person!" Usami said, smiling happily. "I understand why you want to spend time with him!"

"Indeed." Kyoko nodded in agreement with the therapist. "I think he has his flaws, but he has so many qualities to make up for it. For example… I think he's too trusting of others, but on the other hand, every person he trusted so far has become better. And if it weren't for his trust… I would never have known the happiness of having a friend like him again.

"His constant optimism seems to be contagious, and every time I'm around him, I feel a little better. He's the _only_ person in years who has seen me as more than the Ultimate Detective. He cares for me as a friend, and not as the detective he can turn to if he ever gets in trouble or something…" the girl closed her eyes and let a smile grace her lips. "And while I might not show it extremely well… I care for him. The notion would have been absurd to me for years, but right now? Makoto is my best friend, and there are only a few things I treasure more than my friendship with him."

"I see… that was very sweet, Miss Detective!" the rabbit praised, visibly very pleased. "Do you love him, Miss Detective?"

The experienced detective's eyes popped wide open instantaneously, and she stared at Miaya in awe, her expression betraying all the surprise she was feeling.

"W-What the…?! What do you mean, 'love him?!'" she questioned, the notion absurd to her.

"Well… Is he just your friend, or something more?" Miaya explained through her AI, looking directly at Kyoko. "I have seen many students who described their best friend the way you just did and ended up forming some really sweet couples, Miss Detective!"

"Hm, sorry to burst your bubble, Ms. Gekkogahara," Kyoko began, rolling her eyes before continuing, "but Makoto is a friend. His presence is always good to me, but I am not romantically attracted to him. To be fair, I don't even know what romantic attraction is since I've never felt it."

"Really? I don't want to doubt you, Miss Detective, but that seems unlikely." the Ultimate Therapist contradicted as Usami pointed a paw at the lavender-haired girl. "The way you talk about him with such passion, I have trouble thinking you don't at least have _some_ romantic feelings for him."

"N-No, I really don't!" Kyoko insisted though she felt pushed into a corner for some reason. "Okay, he is very kind and compassionate, but that doesn't mean I'm attracted to him!" _R-Right…? Y-Yeah, yeah, that's right. And besides, even if I was attracted to him, it's not like I stood a chance against Sayaka anyway. No need to dwell on that, then…_

Miaya looked at her with a genuine and knowing smile, which made the detective blush. Usami was pretty much the same, though it didn't make Kyoko as embarrassed.

"I won't force you to tell me anything if you don't want to, Miss Detective." the rabbit told her reassuringly. "But one thing I can tell you is that, no matter how you feel for your friend Makoto, if he can make you feel better, then you should spend more time with him. It makes me very happy to see you smile, Miss Detective, and it seems like it's all thanks to your friend. I'm always glad whenever a student comes here and smiles."

Kyoko got up into a seated position before speaking again. "I suppose you do. Well, I guess this wasn't a waste of time." _It helped me feel better, and I no longer feel mad… thanks to Ms. Gekkogahara… and Makoto._ The Ultimate Detective stood up and bowed in front of the former Hope's Peak student. "Thank you for your guidance, Ms. Gekkogahara. This will certainly make my work a lot more thoughtful and rational."

"You're welcome, Miss Detective! It's always a pleasure to help the students who need it, especially when they are as sweet as you are!"

_Me, sweet? That's not a compliment I ever got…_ The detective realized with a content smile. "Well, whatever. I'll ensure you get your files back as soon as possible. That is the least I can do, I believe. Have a nice day, Ms. Gekkogahara."

"Yes, good day to you too, Miss!" the therapist said and rolled to her desk as Kyoko made her way to the door to leave.

_Perhaps I didn't get to spend time with Makoto today, but at least he helped me with my bad mood, even without being there. Just how great of a friend are you for me that just thinking of you makes me feel so much better…?_

* * *

Turning the knob and exiting the Ultimate Therapist's office, Kyoko found herself in the hallway. She headed for the exit to go work on her investigation, though something quickly caught her attention.

On a chair next to the door, there was a blue folder.

_Hm? Who left their file here?_ She wondered and approached it. She noticed a note glued on the folder and read it.

" _To Ms. Gekkogahara,_

_I'm sorry I had to steal them, but here are your files! I needed them for something, hope you don't mind! They definitely told me lots of things I needed to know, so I'm really, really glad! Well, do whatever you want with them; I've made copies anyway. This is only part of the files, as I'm sure you realize. I couldn't really carry them all here, y'know? I dropped the rest of the files near the statue of the founder of Hope's Peak._

_Oh, and one last thing: I wish luck to the cop who'll have to try to find me (this is meant for you, detective bitch!). You ain't fucking going to get to me any time soon!_

_With all due disrespect,_

_\- Your worst nightmare."_

Kyoko stared at the note, dumbfounded. _That… makes no sense. Well, I'll keep this note and ask for the handwriting to be analyzed, even if I doubt the thief was careless enough to use their real handwriting… And whoever this was, they knew me, and they were aware I had been put on the case… Though it seems they don't hold me in high esteem. Not that I care, quite frankly._

_And whoever had these files clearly put them here while I was inside with Ms. Gekkogahara since they weren't there when I entered earlier. Well, I'll give this some more thought later._

She turned back towards the office and knocked again. The police detective had to explain to the therapist where she had found the folder, though she kept the details of the note to herself. Usami seemed relieved, especially when she realized the document was genuine. Kyoko told her she'd ask the staff to bring her the rest of the documents from where they had apparently been hidden, much to Miaya's thankfulness.

After leaving again, Kyoko made sure to hurry back to her room, if only to reorganize her stuff and think some more about the situation. Luckily for her, the only loose end left in this case was the mysterious thief, whom she'd need to identify at some point - though it could wait.

_At least… a day that started off poorly will end nicely. I could do with this kind of luck more often, honestly._ She thought with a sigh. _I guess Makoto's Ultimate luck is rubbing on anyone who interacts with him… I couldn't ask for more than that!_

_Makoto… My real luck is to have you as my classmate and friend. I never thought I could get as close to someone after losing Yui, but I did… You… earned my trust, and there was a time I thought I would never trust anyone again. You make me change and discover a new side to myself each and every day…_

_Ms. Gekkogahara was right: I should spend more time with you. You were kind enough to want to spend time with me, and I'd feel bad if I didn't return the favor. I'll never be as companionable as you are, but I'll try to be. I think you deserve it._

Kyoko sat on her desk chair and placed the note she had found on her desk. With a smile, she took out a paper and pen and got to work.

_Well, I guess the more I work today, the more time I can spend with Makoto tomorrow! From this day on, I need to prove to Makoto just how much I trust him and how much he means to me!_

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Miaya's introduction into this timeline! She is so underrated, I honestly think it's criminal. For those who remember, there was a moment in Chapter Thirteen of AOH in which Makoto mentions that he heard about Miaya through Kyoko who had already met her once. Now you know what it corresponded to! I hope you'll like the tenth and last chapter, and until then, please leave a comment! Have a nice day, everyone! ^^


	10. Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoko finally sorts out her feelings for Makoto...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the tenth and final chapter of this side story, nearly a month after Chapter One! I really hope you'll like this finale and how it is linked to the events of AOH. And before I forget, this chapter takes place during Chapter Seven of AOH, after Makoto and Sayaka talked things out in the game room. Enjoy!

** _Chapter Ten:_ _Crush_ **

Kyoko sat alone at a table in the Hope's Peak Library, case file in hand. When it came to cases, this one could be considered old. It was actually the oldest case Kyoko still worked on that had not been solved yet: the infamous Genocide Jack case.

When you knew the details, it could surprisingly be called straightforward, actually. A serial murderer with an established modus operandi and tens of crime scenes to find evidence. However, the issue was that no clues pointing to the culprit had ever been found. And since, for some reason, the fiend had stopped killing a few months ago, the case was being filed away. Of course, as the Ultimate Detective, Kyoko had investigated this case a bit and tried to keep an active eye on it from time to time.

_All victims were stabbed using pairs of sharp and custom-made scissors… The crime scenes are also extremely peculiar: the victims were hung up using scissors akin to the murder weapons; the word "Bloodlust" was written on the wall in the victim's blood. All victims were also male, the meaning of which is still unclear. Lastly, it is believed that the culprit could suffer from a split personality who would murder the victims._

The detective repeated these details to herself to refamiliarize herself with the case and, after only a few minutes of skimming through the file, it was like she had never stopped investigating it.

_Well, most of these details are confidential, and since I was one of the few people being privy to it, I suppose this makes sense._ Kyoko read the names of the victims and stopped once she read one in particular.

_Takeshi Yoshida? Is it possible that…?_ The face of her homeroom teacher, Yuki Yoshida, flashed through the girl's mind. _Well, it'll be worth taking a look at, even if 'Yoshida' is a pretty common last name. And considering Ms. Yoshida's age, it would have to be her boyfriend, and they would need to be married for it to match, and I think I already caught her on her phone talking to her boyfriend… Most likely unrelated, then._

For the sake of being sure, Kyoko decided to read through Jack's M.O. again to be sure she remembered all the details of the case. Obviously, she didn't expect to make a breakthrough into the case without actually being on the field, but it was info worth remembering.

_So, from the beginning… All victims were stabbed using pairs of sharp and custom-made scissors… The crime scenes are also extremely peculiar: the victims were hung up using scissors akin to the murder weapons; the word "Bloodlust" was written on the wall in the victim's blood. "Do you love him, Miss Detective?"_

…

…

_What the hell…?_

A voice rang through Kyoko's head very suddenly, preventing her from reading her file. She shook her head and tried to continue anyway, but the voice got louder and louder until she could no longer ignore it.

" _Do you love him, Miss Detective?" … You can't let go of that question, can you, Kyoko?_ The lavender-haired girl wondered, fiddling with her hair. _Ever since Ms. Gekkogahara asked you that, it's the only thing that's really been on your mind. I told her yesterday that I didn't love Makoto… or at least, not romantically…_

She put that thought on pause and closed the file for a moment.

_But is that the truth? Do I consider Makoto to only be a friend? Is it possible that he grew so much on me that I became attracted to him?_

Kyoko took out her organizer from her inside pocket, as well as a pen. The notes about her classmates had since long been filed in her desk, but she thought some additional content couldn't hurt. Instead of simply writing the lucky student's name at the top of a new page - like she usually would - Kyoko instead wrote in her best handwriting 'Feelings for Makoto?'.

_Let's see… if I'm going to think about this, then I'd better do it meticulously. Speculation and unproven thoughts will only get me so far._ Deciding to treat this like a case, Kyoko began to ask herself many questions to which she'd need the answers to reach a conclusion.

_First off… I need to find clues as to what being romantically attracted to someone means._ Now with a course of action in mind, Kyoko began writing. Of course, since she was inexperienced, the detective clung to an example. And, either by pure coincidence or by fate, the only person she knew to be in love among her friends… was Makoto!

_Not that I can really go and ask him for help!_ She deadpanned and listed a few things that made Makoto's attraction to Sayaka evident to her. Of course, the way he smiled at her came to mind first. The Ultimate Lucky Student was a smiling person, but Kyoko quickly realized the pop star received his most beaming smiles. A second thing she had noted was that Makoto blushed quite often in Sayaka's presence, or when she was brought up in a chat. _The few times I teased him about it, he reddened in a second… And he didn't seem to be able to do anything against it, either._

The detective giggled as she thought of Makoto's blushing cheeks and how cute he was. She didn't tease him really often, but when she did, the reaction was instant: this, for Kyoko, was a sign that he loved Sayaka. And thus, she simply wrote "blushes and smiles" and skipped a line. Drawing an arrow to add further commentary, Kyoko asked herself another question: _Do I act like this around him?_

It was a straightforward question, but not an easy one to answer. On the one hand, the detective doubted her lips were even able to smile as widely as the Ultimate Lucky Student could… but on the other, she was aware that Makoto Naegi was the person who had made her smile the most in her life since Yui. These were only rarely beaming smiles, but the girl knew how exceptional it was for her to smile in front of someone.

This, obviously, was a positive sign. Makoto was making her _change_ , and even a noob in romance like Kyoko knew this was a sign of attraction. The Luckster's influence had convinced her to try and become a better person, something that, once again, only Yui had managed to do.

_Breaking the mold Grandfather raised me up in… that's no small feat._ Kyoko realized, slowly coming to a realization. _I'm still not an entirely different person, and I'm not sure I want to be, but I firmly believe that what changed in me changed for the better. And while interacting with this class as a whole helped, the main factor was clearly Makoto's presence in my life…_

With one answer to her numerous questions, Kyoko felt it right to move on. Coming back to the example of Makoto's attraction towards Sayaka, the third main point of their relationship together was their closeness. The lucky student and the pop sensation were arguably the closest students of Class 78th (even if the trio of Mondo, Taka, and Chihiro came in a really close second), and it showed.

_From what I've seen, they spend a lot of time together, which is when they probably formed that bond._ Kyoko thought, ever analytical. She wrote her conclusions. _Chatting and playing games appear to be their most frequent activities together. Good to know._

Again, the purple-eyed girl skipped a line and tried to draw parallels between Makoto's love for Sayaka and her potential feelings for the lucky student. Well, it didn't take the mind of an Ultimate Detective to realize that she didn't spend as much time with Makoto as Sayaka did, but she took note of it anyway. If Kyoko wanted to be fair with herself, this was honestly her fault. She knew Makoto quite well by now, and she knew he would love to hang out with her more if she asked. The thing was, her work prevented her from doing so.

It wasn't healthy, but the detective blamed herself for it. _Makoto means a lot to me, but I can't put my detective work to the side, either… That would attract Grandfather's attention, and who knows what he'd think if he caught wind of me getting closer to a boy…_ Indeed, relationships at such a young age were frowned upon in the Kirigiri family. Among the Kirigiri detectives, the only point of a relationship was to produce an heir, and Kyoko was very much aware of that.

Needless to say, she had not befriended Makoto in the hopes of giving birth to an heir with him. This troubled her.

_After the harm my father has caused to the family, I can't afford to deviate from the creed._ She mused, thinking deeply, and as always, rationally. _But I doubt Makoto gives a damn about detectives, to be honest. At most, he'd be curious, but that wouldn't be enough for Grandfather._

Fuhito Kirigiri's word and opinion meant a lot to the young Ultimate Detective. The man had raised her almost on his own, and she had the utmost respect for him. Though that didn't mean she was naïve: Kyoko knew precisely why her grandfather was the way he was. Pride and ego had dictated his conduct, something which Kyoko personally disliked.

_Grandfather wanted to prove to himself that he could be better than the Headmaster at raising me._ She told herself, willingly letting herself getting sidetracked. _Not that it must have been difficult…_ A sigh came with that thought. _And while he'll never say it to my face, he's afraid. Afraid that I will make the same mistakes my father did. In the end, he might not trust me as much as he would like me to believe…_

This, however, proved a point for the Ultimate Detective. It proved something she deemed more important than anything else.

Makoto trusted her.

He was most likely the only one.

Sure, he tended to trust people blindly, but that wasn't working so badly for him, was it? Kyoko had learned to know that after a few months of interacting with the boy: Makoto Naegi wasn't the type to distrust people. It felt liberating for her to finally be trusted by someone again. Once again, Yui Samidare had been the last person to trust her, and it had been so long ago, she felt like it had never happened.

_But it did happen. And that's why it flatters me to be trusted by someone again. You trusted me… though you had no tangible reason to, frankly. Whether I want it or not, I am a secretive girl who doesn't talk much about herself and with trust issues._

Kyoko knew she had her flaws, especially if not trusting people blindly was a flaw. But nonetheless, the lucky student had decided to place a part of his trust in her. The detective knew it wasn't a mistake - she was no betrayer - but at the end of the day, Makoto had no reason to trust her.

_And the fact that he chose to do so warms my heart._

With her mind at peace, Kyoko smiled and closed her organizer. She had come to a conclusion, and it satisfied her more than enough.

_I wouldn't have believed the person who would have told me I'd be wondering if I was feeling romantic attraction for a boy when the year began…_ Regardless of whether the detective actually felt something for Makoto, a fact was undeniable: just _thinking_ about it proved that Kyoko had changed. That _Makoto_ had made her change.

She had come a long way, from purposely being alone to managing to befriend a couple of her classmates, the Ultimate Lucky Student, first and foremost. In a way, it almost made sense she would eventually be asking herself these questions. And if someone was worthy of Kyoko's feelings, the Ultimate Detective felt like it was Makoto.

_He's always so hopeful that he managed to get *me* onboard…_ Kyoko thought, smiling as she closed her eyes and relaxed for a few seconds. _Even when there seems to be something wrong, he's so unselfish and tries to hide it for the sake of others. It makes me wonder why he wasn't as cheery as usual, actually…_

The girl had to admit, this piqued her interest. The lucky student was the type to rarely seem down. He had visibly tried to hide it in front of Kyoko, but her Ultimate Detective quickly noticed something was wrong. Her investigation the day prior had been on her mind, so she had not thought about it more, but now it interested her.

_The only thing I'm aware of that could make Makoto sad… would be regarding Sayaka._ The lavender-haired detective realized and took some time to connect the dots. _W-Wait, don't tell me… N-No way…_

A frown appeared on her face as the realization hit her. Indeed, there was only one reason the students of Class 78th knew that could weigh down on their favorite Ultimate Lucky Student, and that was…

_D-Did he… Did he get rejected by Sayaka…?_

Honestly, it was the only thing she could come up with. She didn't like making assumptions without evidence to prove them, but it was the hypothesis that made the most sense. Admittedly, the detective had not seen Sayaka this week (so neither yesterday nor today), but it seemed like a plausible guess.

An educated guess perhaps, but most likely the truth. And in this case, the girl had no idea what she was supposed to make of it. On the one hand, she was almost heartbroken for the boy: he was so obviously crushing on the blue-haired pop idol, and he deserved her love. On the other hand, however, selfish thoughts went through Kyoko's mind. One's misfortune could very well be another's luck.

_I am a horrible person for thinking like this._ Kyoko thought and considered clapping some sense into herself. _Whatever my feelings for Makoto are, he's my best friend, and I shouldn't wish him bad luck to further my own selfish needs. There's still room for me to improve as a friend, I suppose…_

_And one thing I can do to show Makoto how much I care for him is to suggest spending some time with him. He asked me yesterday, and I refused more harshly that I wanted because of this imbecile Headmaster… Time to set things right. He deserves it, he really does._

Satisfied with her plans for the afternoon, Kyoko went back to her case file. She reread it a couple of times with a smile on her lips as the occasional thought of the Luckster flashed through her mind.

_All victims were stabbed using pairs of sharp and custom-made scissors… The crime scenes are also extremely peculiar: the victims were hung up using scissors akin to the murder weapons; the word "Bloodlust" was written on the wall in the victim's blood. All victims were also male, the meaning of which is still unclear. Lastly, it is believed that the culprit could suffer from a split personality who would murder the victims._

Kyoko looked up, adopting her thinking pose. Her hand was on her chin, and her eyes were facing towards the entrance to the library. It couldn't be said she was focusing on that, though, and it made her vision blurry. To be honest, she realized there was something worthy of her attention when a brown-haired antenna began to swing back and forth in the background.

_M-Makoto! What the hell is he doing here?!_ For once, panic settled in the Ultimate Detective's mind as her friend she had spent so long thinking about had just shown up! _I-I intended to plan my chat with him, not to have him walk on me while I was here!_

Opting to feign ignorance for now, in case she could leave him clueless (which she knew, with Makoto, was definitely possible), Kyoko stared back at her book. Pretending not to have seen him, she reread a few lines of her file, trying to seem as natural as possible.

_If he sees me and he sees that I'm panicking, he'll ask me why… And I can't really tell him, "Oh, Makoto, I was just thinking about you and about my feelings for you. Would you like to go out with me so I can repay the kindness you showed me?" …can I now?_

_Well… if I wasn't such a coward, that's what I would tell him… but I'm too shy. And he might not need to hear that now if he really had to go through what I think._

In the corner of one of her purple eyes, the Ultimate Detective noticed her beloved classmate approaching her with his usual smile on his lips. Kyoko's heart began to beat even faster as he covered some more steps. She made sure to focus on her file.

_All victims were stabbed using pairs of sharp and custom-made scissors… The crime scenes are also extremely peculiar: the victims were hung up using scissors akin to the murder weapons; the word "Bloodlust" was written on the wall…_

"Hi, Kyoko!"

_AAAAAAH!_ By a miracle, she managed not to show any surprise (though she was _clearly_ surprised) at the Luckster's cheery and unexpected greeting.

Looking up and smiling genuinely at the boy, Kyoko greeted back, "Oh, good afternoon, Makoto." before adding, "It's pretty rare to see you here."

_And of course, you come at the only time I actually didn't want to see you! Curse my luck; I live by preparation, and I haven't prepared anything to tell him! Do I just offer him to go out like that? I mean… being straightforward has its advantages…_ The girl thought but made sure to keep her focus solely on Makoto.

"W-Well…" he scratched his head in embarrassment, making Kyoko's smile widen. "Y-Yeah… I was just coming from the game room and thought I'd look around the school a bit."

_Okay… Gotta buy me some time right now!_ "I see." was the only thing she said, knowing Makoto would leave it at that for the moment. Honestly, if he tried to add anything, it would most likely make the situation awkward, and Kyoko capitalized on that.

He turned to the nearby bookshelf, but the Ultimate Detective noticed him trying to get a glance of her "book's" cover. Had it been anyone else, Kyoko would have needed to silence them to keep her involvement in the investigation secret, but not for Makoto. Of course not.

She admittedly wondered what conclusions he would draw once he read the name of the case file, but she didn't have time to dwell on that for too long. No, she needed to come up with a way to ask her best friend if he wanted to spend some time with her.

_Well, let's hope I don't make this awkward…_ Kyoko thought and closed her file before standing up.

"Makoto?"

The boy quickly turned around from the manga bookshelf he had visibly just found.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Um… T-The offer you made me yesterday, does… does it still stand?" she shyly asked and cursed herself for stuttering when she usually never did. _How am I feeling so much pressure right now?!_

Makoto looked at her with a cute smile, which made Kyoko's heart skip a beat. The lavender-haired girl knew just how different she must have been looking right about then, but there wasn't much she could do about it.

"Hm… which offer, Kyoko?" Makoto wondered, and from what Kyoko could tell, he was genuinely clueless - as usual. Though it made her glad that he wasn't just messing with her and how embarrassed she was.

"You o-offered me to hang out with you yesterday," she replied and noticed Makoto's eyes lit up as he understood what she was referring to. She continued with an explanation for her quick departure the day prior, "I was busy, but… if the offer still stands, I'd like to spend some time with you, even for a short moment." _Or a longer one, if you don't mind… I'd love that…_

Makoto shook her head in amusement at first, which made the detective confused. Had she sounded ridiculous? She honestly wasn't sure, but it was possible. Either way, a second later, Makoto gave her a warm smile that effectively warmed her heart, as well as a vigorous nod of agreement.

"Of course! I'd love to!" he simply said, and it was enough to break a few chains on Kyoko's heart. She felt so happy at this moment, she would have hugged him if she wasn't so shy.

_Makoto…_ She had to hold back a few tears, which made her eyes glisten beautifully of a bright and lovely violet color. "T-Thank you, Makoto…" _Thank you so much…_ "Hm… I need to file this book back at my dorm… do you want to come with me?"

"Yeah, sure! Right behind you!"

She began to crave his presence, and just knowing that he, the smiling and caring Makoto Naegi, was with her made her feel better. _This…_ was the Luckster's true talent. Being someone who made people better. It had worked for Kyoko and for their classmates, and the Ultimate Detective was sure it would be the case for many more people.

_Yui… Wherever you are, I hope you'd be proud of how much I've changed. We were separated, but I have found the person I need once again. And he was the one who made me change so much. Since day one, he's been the one to push me in the right direction. You were my inspiration back then, Yui, and I am glad to tell you I have found someone new to be my inspiration._

She pondered taking the Ultimate Lucky Student's hand but ultimately decided against it. Things had changed; _she_ had changed, but some things were better when taken slow. Kyoko knew she had all the time in the world now.

She caught a glimpse of Makoto's hazel eyes. There was so much hope in his eyes it seemed to be overflowing. There apparently wasn't a world in which this perfectly average high school student wasn't spreading hope among those who needed it. Kyoko had needed it, and she could never regret the choices she had made.

_I think I can hide it from myself no longer… Makoto Naegi, somehow… Even after everything I have gone through… I've fallen in love with someone… and that someone is you._

_**The End.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this concluding chapter! Giving Kyoko some proper development in this timeline before she gets more of the spotlight after Chapter Nine was something I had in mind, but I have to thank WiiFan2009 for sending me an ask and a few suggestions that made this story possible. I particularly hope you enjoyed this story, and once again: thank you. I'd also like to thank everyone who read this story and left me some feedback through the comments. It does wonders for my motivation, trust me. I'll be having a couple more side stories to AOH before Naegiri Week in early December, and then we'll get to the main line sequel!
> 
> Until then, and for the final time on this side story, please leave a comment! ^^
> 
> Stay safe, everyone.
> 
> Love, Moiloru.


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